Jigsaw Girl
by Kami-Inu
Summary: Slightly dark AU and Crossover. Full details inside. Ah, a trip down memory lane. They can be inviting in their wake, or quite frightening. Yazoo is subject to these things, just like anyone else. And maybe, even more. This single, dragging night of introspection, anguish...and temptation. Oh, to be chained to such wants and follies of the 'heart'. What a decadent curse indeed.
1. I

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', 'Bleach' or 'Jigsaw Girl'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami, Tite Kubo, and the Toadies. I only own my OC, and this story. Thank you.**

 **I**

The leather of his usual attire was, for whatever reason, irritating the piss out of Yazoo. Actually, scratch that-he knew what the reason was. What...and _who_.

Appointments were a real pain in the ass.

Especially when your doctor was dear, darling, _deranged_ Hojo. Everybody's favorite slime ball, loved to be hated on and hated to be loved, at least in the opinions of most that the silver-haired male had come across in his lifetime outside of a laboratory. Thanks to the man's research, he and his brothers were alive and in existence. But at what cost?

His thoughts wandered, back to the familiar sensation of the various tests and injections. They'd all been piercing into him or his skin at some point or another. Yazoo let out an aggravated sigh at the thought. All of these stupid checkups and physicals, for one thing. He could deal with the pain, that was no problem for someone like him. He wasn't going to cry at some needles in his flesh, that was stupid. Maybe Loz might, but not him. He was a perfect mask of cool detachment. And yet...

The thoughts trailed off. In his life here at Shinra, there had been a few-just a core few, who he'd grown to know and, he admitted, care for-in his own way. Something like friends, and in some cases, family.

 _ **Family.**_

His sharp green gaze, flecked with traces of blue, was trained on the ceiling above him. His eyes flashed for a moment, with the flicker of a new emotion. The faintest hint of a smile tugged at his lips, though it was hard to tell if the expression was intended to be mocking, or just plain bitter. And that look in his stare...if anyone had been in the room with him at that moment, they would've been bolting for the door. That was the cue for anyone to get the hell outta Dodge.

Amazingly enough, Hojo was not the 'who' in his situation. Or the 'what'. He was just a part of what made it whole. No, that title, that place, that role...belonged to another person entirely. Again, the gleam in his eyes. His smile widened slightly.

 _Family._ Such a funny word, wasn't it? He wouldn't have thought much of it in the past, when he and his siblings were starting out. He knew this. His and his Brothers' birth circumstances hadn't exactly been the most conventional, nor were the after-results always pleasant-hello, test tube babies! One of the many dirty little secrets of Shinra that had still managed to turn out in their favor.

Also, a thank you to his eldest Brother's DNA. It had obviously been procured by Hojo as well, and was thus responsible for much of their genetic structure, make-up, ability and even general disposition.

People would often comment on how 'perfect' they were, "just like your brother." Fair, smooth skin. Strong, but not overly bulky physiques-not quite a trio of Sephiroths, but pretty enough, and skilled enough to garner their own popularity and fanbase. Physical prowess was also not to be taken lightly, though once more, it paled in comparison to their superior. Perhaps, if they were to fight all together...?

The Remnants. That's what they were referred to as, on occasion. A collective single unit, the three 'faces' or 'sides' of their oldest. Three pieces of the original whole. A bit insulting, if you really gave it a more thorough glance-over.

Their looks, at least, were something they had inherited heavily from their elder sibling: silver hair, and those bright green-blue eyes. A hypnotizing shade of green, like fine jade, with those edges of brilliant cyan. They were topped off with distinctly catlike pupils. Perfectly sculpted faces and bodies, combined with a striking beauty that was not quite of this Planet. Wherever they went, the crowds would stop and stare, or part in awe.

Often, because of their lighter physical stature and 'pretty' faces, they were tapped for photoshoots and even modeling gigs. It also helped that they weren't involved with the inner workings of Shinra's business affairs, or members of the SOLDIER program like their First Class General elder. Their 'work' was far beneath the surface of what the public eye could see.

If they _did_ have to venture outside, for some reason, there was always the moment when someone or other would stop them, either as a group or individually, and inquire about their 'services'. If this was a service, Yazoo didn't know, and didn't care. He'd been the recipient of many of those unsolicited offers, during his own occasional ventures beyond Shinra's walls.

But he'd never missed a chance to turn them down with all of his calm professionalism and way with words, getting them to completely miss the fact that, in his own terms, Yazoo had just told them to "fuck off". At least he smiled when he did it. It softened the sting of realization, once it finally kicked in. He knew about the adoring public, and how their fans would kill, literally _**kill**_ , for more exposure on them-any and all of them, the jewels of the empire, in any form. The majority of the publicity would be good for Shinra, so long as it didn't bleed over into the personal.

However...he really wasn't interested in just being treated as an object, something nice to look at and covet and drool over. A flawless idol that they could never even begin to consider as truly 'human'-they were just blind worshipers, creating their own theories and speculations, and imposing them on him and his siblings without a thought as to how they actually felt about the whole thing.

So many things he had seen, heard, and even experienced, all in the name of a rabid mass of screamers who wanted a piece of the action. Wanted them, to fulfill their own personal desires, casting no thought to the personal stake of the others involved.

On the other side of things though, there were the dissenters...those who were stupid enough to let their hatred of the company cloud their reasoning and rationale. Those who thought they could get away with cheap shots and sneak attacks, be it in the media or physically, by idiots who'd honestly believed they'd had a chance against any one of them.

No matter which end he picked, there was always pain, a give and take he would rather not have to deal with at all. For now however, he was staying close to the support, blind though it may have been. After all, he did have an image to upkeep. For the most part, he and his brothers had either kept to themselves indoors, or stuck together in a trio or pair outside. Though there was always the odd moment where only one of them was out and about...and it was those moments he detested. Unless it was for a damn good cause, more on that later, he wouldn't bother.

It wasn't that he _didn't_ care to be wanted...it was just in a different form than this. His wants were...a little more complicated than the fanbase-or the opposition-could ever begin to understand.

His family. It had started out small, with only him and his two Brothers. They were triplets, with a little space of time between each development. Loz came first, then himself, and finally Kadaj. A primarily wide-eyed trio, holed up in that laboratory, day in and day out. No other connections, certainly not to the greasy git that inhabited said lab as its head. No matter if he was the one who had brought them into this 'life', problematic though it was. They were forced to regard him as the closest thing to a 'father figure', but they would never respect him like one. Nor did they care to.

Then, Sephiroth was introduced. A little questioning, before things finally settled. They were still young, and they couldn't speak against this strong, imposing figure, who looked so much like them, acted too much like them to ever be a stranger. Had there really been someone before them, someone who had already paved a way for them to follow? Was this the direction they were meant to grow?

Even with all the inquiries, Yazoo and his Brothers had accepted the news, wondering how long it would take to get used to. Surprisingly, it wasn't too hard of an adjustment, seeing as they were the only ones actually genetically related, with familiar faces. Unfamiliarity aside, there was still some sort of acknowledgment, and the desire to be recognized, by this one so alike, yet so far out of reach. Just like looking into a mirror.

But Sephiroth had at least regarded them in a more welcome light than any of the attentions from Hojo. Though he saw them as beneath him, he still took note of their existence, and was willing to allow them into his. There was a persona there, a soul that reached out, and allowed them to make their first real bonds. Although it was just the four of them from then, they'd been content, growing up in Shinra. Undertaking their training, and preparing for the day when they'd be properly introduced to the masses, then initiated in their own tasks under the company's name.

And then one day...they found out about the Princesses of Shinra.

That heat was rising up again, through Yazoo's body, and it was making him extremely inclined to just strip down and lay there upon the sheets, completely nude. No, he and his brothers did not wear underwear, thank you very much-there was no need. They only got in the way, especially considering their usual attire.

It was a silly extra-humans were free to use it themselves, and on certain ones it could even be fun to see, if only to imagine taking them off and seeing what the pretty packaging contained within. More heat. Changing the focus. It wasn't like he was self-conscious, either; he knew what he had, and he used it to his fullest advantage. There was no shame. He just...wasn't the most _sociable_. None of them were, even his great and esteemed eldest brother.

The two daughters to the lineage didn't show up until later, and not both at once. Apparently, it had taken a very long time to track them down. Why tracking them? The story had taken a while to piece together, but the general gist was this: they'd been abducted shortly after birth, and that was the only way to find them again. They'd also been split up, so it was harder to pinpoint locations. But finding one was a good start to retrieving the other. The scramble was a problematic tactic by the enemies who'd stolen them in the first place; to keep Shinra busy for a good few years and unable to fully focus when the future of the bloodline was in jeopardy.

It was also a good bartering tool, to keep the damage low on opposing parties. Shinra wasn't about to broadcast the news of the kidnapping to the public either, they didn't need inquisitive commoners trying to get involved, and ultimately making it worse for action and fame. The company could manage the search on their own, it wasn't like they didn't have the funds to do so-or the manpower. They had the firepower too, but that was another matter altogether, one that wouldn't be employed unless absolutely necessary. They didn't want to risk their targets getting caught in the crossfire, if their opponents got desperate. For the time being, the girls were safe, if not home.

How lucky for the bastards involved in the crimes that Shinra hadn't gone that far, in his view. Quiet execution was the method of the day instead.

But that was the story that had circulated among Shinra's upper levels, the tale of the Princesses who were prisoners to corruption and time. Nearly a lost cause, until word of the first reunion got out. Oh, people were on their feet then, even the public, though for a different reason.

All this time, it had simply been assumed that the girls were being raised in secrecy, behind closed doors. Now that they were old enough, they were being introduced to the rest of the world, ready to begin embracing their inheritance and lineage. Of course, the official announcement wouldn't come until both of them were back in company hands. Such a simple little story, packaged up neatly and force-fed to the masses in innocuous doses, until it had become commonplace and old hat, easily recognizable and believed.

He remembered when the first child had been brought back, from a place referred to as 'Silent Hill'. Where the hell that was, he had no clue, though it did sound vaguely peaceful. It was far away from the borders of their country, nearly at the other end of the world, in fact. What a strange place to send somebody. Maybe it would've been a nice escape from this shallow realm, he'd thought at the time of first meetings. It certainly seemed to have worked wonders on the figure before him, once he'd gotten the chance to know her enough to determine this.

A short, punky-looking girl with a round face and features. Her dark brown locks fell slightly past her shoulders, with bangs swept back to one side. Her matching hued eyes were wide, and awestruck. Physically, she didn't take heavily after the President's side. And apparently, she'd never been in a place like this before, either. Yazoo had been curious, at least-his brothers didn't get into things until a bit after he'd spied her being led down, from the top level helipad. They'd descended from there into the last of the higher levels, where they all resided.

The reactions were mixed as all three of them were formally introduced to the heiress. Sephiroth hadn't met her until well after them-and his first impression of her was...not very impressive, back then. Far from it. However, they were both on the younger side of things, her in particular. She was a few years behind him actually, and it was especially noticeable at that time. The conflict was understandable. They were both headstrong, which didn't make things any easier.

Yazoo had been the most interested from the three of them, taking in her appearance and moniker, not knowing then he was committing it to memory. Kyra. Kyra Shinra. That was her name. She had been polite enough, with a nice voice. Clear and cheery, with a hint of potential spark. She didn't seem too scared, which was a plus, considering she was new. It seemed as if she liked her current surroundings, and was more than willing to meet them halfway. He was intrigued as to what else he could learn about this fresh face-at least until the novelty wore off. Hint: it never did.

Loz had given her a grunt and nod, followed by a pause, and then, an awkward wave. It seemed he was confused about what greeting he wanted to go with here. But there was no fumble; Kyra had giggled in response, and proceeded to do the same back to him. He seemed honestly surprised by it, and Yazoo had found it amusing as well. She was quick on her feet, even with his neanderthal brother.

Then, Kadaj had stepped in. Always the center of attention, or trying to be. He'd given her a glare, then a furious pout, marching right up in her face. Oh, that didn't suit him at all. He should've left such complicated expressions to his elder instead. Yazoo knew he himself would've been able to make it work, had he wished to bear such a look. Of course right then, he hadn't.

Kyra had taken a step back, but managed to stand her ground. It appeared that she had some familiarity with combat, or a domestic scuffle. Her stance was not professional, but it was ready. Now, Kadaj had been looking her over, with that pout still in place. He wasn't impressed.

"...what, are we supposed to call her our Sister, or something?" He'd snorted at that thought, unable to keep a straight face. How humorous, welcoming in some human girl just because she was related to the head honcho! This had been their home first! Why should she be allowed to just waltz right in, and take away the focus? She was missing before-they could lose her again! Thankfully, he hadn't voiced that last thought there and then. A quick but wise decision indeed.

Yazoo had been holding back his own chortle of amusement, though for completely different reasons. He had noticeably warmed to that idea however, like white on rice. A chance to note and study their new playmate, how lovely. Walking over, he'd taken Kyra's hands in his own, and given her that slight smile. The one he'd perfected by this current point in his life, far out of childhood. "I think that's a wonderful idea."

He'd locked eyes with her then, and for a few moments, she'd seemed mesmerized by his stare. Another effect that he and his kind had on those around them. Just like a trance. They could charm someone into letting them get away with murder, it was far too easy. "Kyra needs someone to guide her around the place...and I have always wondered what it would be like, to have a sweet little Sister instead of two awkward older Brothers, and a demented little one." That last remark had led to a shout of protest from Kadaj, and a silent, hurt stare from Loz. Yazoo had paid neither of them any mind. He was just lucky that Sephiroth hadn't been around to hear this bit.

Back then, his words-and heart-had truly held just the faintest touch of innocence, as his piqued interest led him to make the impulsive suggestion. But, it was out there now, and he wasn't about to recall it, especially as he saw the girl's face break into a wide smile. It seemed as though she was quite receptive to the idea of being around them, with no obsessive neediness like the populace outside. She was conforming to his specifications quite nicely, without even realizing it. And yet, she held wonder and promise. Entertainment.

"Cool, am I being adopted...three times now? Heh, I has lots of families." Kyra had been chuckling then to herself. Whether the other two had been paying attention, he didn't know. But the word had registered in Yazoo's hearing, and he'd swirled it around a couple times in his head.

Family. Were they...was their family growing?

It was.

It didn't take too long to get used to Kyra and her presence. Like Sephiroth, though for her own reasons, they'd been able to accept her into the fold. She was pretty easygoing, and was usually able to get others laughing, in some way or other. She had a quick tongue and a good sense of humor, even with her shady circumstances. It was hard to stay mad at her, and in his case, for the most part, it hadn't ever cropped up as any real sort of problem.

She was also very creative, and had a decent amount of energy. She enjoyed drawing, and using her hands. She wasn't afraid to get dirty. And did he mention that she was a bit of a prankster, as well? Oh, the things she would get up to when she was bored! He'd had to admit, the stories were always so amusing to hear. A girl after his own heart. Her exploits would soon become legendary, but only among Shinra's upper halls-the lower levels didn't catch a word of it. Which was a damn good thing, but that was a whole other matter altogether.

They'd learned further about their newly christened 'Sister', like the fact that she was not afraid to speak her mind, or call out anyone. Be it in a hallway, a bedroom or a board room. And neither was she afraid of confrontation. This made her all the more memorable, seeing her sharp reactions and fiery spirit in action. His first observations had been correct. Somewhat, she almost reminded Yazoo of himself. Almost. A louder version at times, perhaps.

And this unwillingness to waver extended towards the three of them, as well. She didn't always see eye to eye with her 'Brothers', and would say so. Sometimes, this led to arguments, mostly in her and Kadaj's case. She'd taken a good few bruises and strikes here and there; he wasn't afraid to lash out at anyone who stepped up to him, but she'd dealt out a decent amount of punches right back to him, no matter if they weren't as strong. And she had the swollen hands to show for it afterwards.

At least Loz wasn't big on arguments, much less with a girl. He was better at solving things with his fists, but he was never that upset with her to begin with, nor was he going to challenge one of the fucking Shinra Princesses in hand-to-hand combat. He would break her in half, and she was well aware of this fact. Sometimes, Loz didn't know his own strength, even when he was sure it was level. Hence why he kept his hands to himself. Thank somebody that the lug had enough common sense to realize that much.

Yazoo, on the other hand, relished a good debate-that fact had never changed, even from his earlier years-but only because he'd armed himself to the teeth, with smooth sarcasm and sweet taunts, pretty words strung together in a way that would confound and trap his listener. Eventually, they'd get so frustrated that they'd wind up storming off completely-or try to beat the shit out of him in response to his frankly, smart-ass tactics.

'Try' being the operative word here. They never did succeed. Kyra always fell into the former category...thankfully. She'd cool off soon enough, and things would be all right between them, just like before.

That was why, gradually, as more time passed away in Shinra, and the trio got closer to the first Princess, they were soon in the know as to her life, after she'd arrived at Shinra...and before. It had taken a little while, but soon enough that 'trust' had been built and forged, enough for her to offer a glimpse from her point of view. She had been relatively open about what had happened in her old home; turns out that this 'Silent Hill' was a heck of a lot rougher than Yazoo had first pegged it for.

She hadn't gone into too many details, just that she and a 'guardian', named Paul, had been managing to keep things together in the town, while some rather 'violent' neighbors-okay, scratch it, the whole damn populace-wanted them dead. Mostly her, since she'd been easier to go after than Paul, and because she'd hung around him, and another of his kind. Considering the state of things, had she been far better off with the strange, aggressive man than the rabid 'cult', as the townsfolk were soon dubbed as? They used to be the ones offering her shelter. Oh, and don't forget all the living, breathing nightmare fuel wandering around! Apparently, there were a lot of dark forces co-mingling there, and had it not been for luck and Kyra having been a quick learner, who knew what might've happened otherwise. Silent Hill had one hell of a monster problem.

Obviously, Paul was an older figure, and quite strong, from how Kyra described him. It had been easy for him to do what he needed to, day in and out. He was another who wasn't afraid to fight, though Yazoo still had to wonder just how heavy the fighting had been...and how much of it Kyra had been witness to. She, on the other hand, had been forced to learn her few survival skills from the ground up as a young one.

Yazoo wasn't a stranger to violence, it was just...unusual, to imagine a high and mighty Princess having to deal with such a start to her upbringing. The girl had to grow into a tough environment, one that had taught her everything she knew up until now. Although Paul had provided guidance, it was clear that he hadn't been anything close to a full 'parental' figure, from Kyra's descriptions and stories. He'd offered her safety, but she'd had to grab it for herself. I.e, she followed him where he went, but she had to look after her own head. If she wanted food, it was on her to find it; if she got lost, she'd better have hoped to find him again quickly enough...or be prepared to fight.

From the image she painted, it was also apparent that this 'Paul' wasn't even close to being a saint-he indulged in his own darkness every so often. How Kyra had avoided him at those moments could only be attributed to luck and common sense. He only offered her the thought of survival and lasting one more day; he helped her no further than that. The rest was up to her. That's why she wasn't afraid to march on.

No matter if she was a mere human child, or a female, much less a Princess. She could do whatever she wanted, because of her drive. Not status or coercion.

The trio had also learned about the fact that their new Sister would often have to attend a place that was simply referred to as 'the academy'. "A higher institute of learned education" is how he'd heard it phrased, at other times. Or maybe they'd been talking about one of the upper levels, he didn't know. None of them had gone to such a place; everything they'd learned had been here, in the corporation building. He knew what schooling was, just not the finer details. So, he had no real idea as to the correct terminologies. Again, he didn't care.

It was lonely at times, when Kyra wasn't around. Boring, too. Very quiet. Sometimes, because of this boredom, and at other times, to escape those pesky appointments, Yazoo would take the chance, and wander to this 'academy' that had been so carefully shown to him on a full map of the area. It wasn't too hard to get to, the distance wasn't that far. Kyra did have to take the long way around to get there though, for reasons.

But it was always fun to surprise his Sister, soon to be Sisters, with a visit. He just had to make certain he didn't get caught, putting his skills to the test. This usually wound up resulting in a good few awkward moments and close calls. If he did mess up any further, he had to be able to slip out of the noose, without getting himself or Kyra in trouble.

That was an important detail here. None of the other kids were privy to this fact; it was common knowledge in their tight circle at Shinra that, when out and about at places such as that, the girls would retain special identities, to keep them safe from paparazzi and potential dangers. Because it really _wasn't_ a good idea to have their real names and addresses in the school system-too easy for criminals and terrorists to target them. More than they did already, anyways. Out there, she was no longer 'Kyra Shinra'. She became 'Keyanna Steele' instead, 'Key' for short. Well, at least it suited her.

It was important to have some sort of inner connection with the masses, and what better than through the youth? They could get all sorts of tips and tricks to influence the next generation, if the current one was being stubborn with support. Also, considering the lives they were living until now, they probably needed the lessons. And, being who they were, namely human, they also needed to get out and about, lest they go crazy. In general, it was beneficial for both Shinra and the girls to travel daily for courses. They could always take extra security measures, if necessary. They had the means to do so.

But. For the most part, Yazoo's visits had been incident free. He hadn't accidentally revealed his full connections to her, soon them, at that time. Later down the line, he could play a bit more with the restrictions, once the pair had entered their last few years of education.

A grin tugged once more at his lips. Like today.

Back to the past. Just as they'd all gotten settled with their Sister, no longer new and simply treated like she'd always been there...the announcement came in. Big news, for the Shinra corporation. Big news for the trio and Kyra, as well. The second Shinra Princess had been found.

And now, _she_ was being brought back, to live at the complex with the rest of them.

 **A/N: Alright. Gonna lay down some factoids here. Just to give y'all a better idea of what's up.  
**

 **1\. This is an AU [Alternate Universe] fic, based off of an RP [Role Play].**

 **2\. This fic features Crossovers w/two other fandoms [Silent Hill and Bleach], though the focus here is mainly on the FFVII side of things.**

 **3\. This story features OCs [Original Characters] in main roles. There are two OCs here.**

 **4\. This story features a one-sided Canon character/OC relationship, as well as a side Canon character/OC relationship.**

 **5\. Although this tale features a 'Sibling' relationship, the OCs and the trio are NOT blood-related. It's more of an adoptive thing.**

 **6\. This fanfic was originally supposed to be a oneshot, but wound up longer than expected. The Chapters may seem odd when they cut off, or where they start up. I had to find decent places to add breaks.**

 **If any of the above displeases you, feel free to turn away. I want people to read what they enjoy, not what makes them upset.**

 **Now that that's out of the way, the rest of this rundown. I did my best to bring the world I'm working w/to life, and I had help in researching some of the finer details w/my RP buddy; her OC is featured in this beginning Chapter, and she knows more about two of the fandoms than I. If there's anything I could improve on here-this is meant to be a more in-depth exploration of the AU we're working with, but I tried to stay true to the characters-please, let me know. I'm always looking to improve in my craft. And I had a lot of fun getting into Yazoo's head, as opposed to the OCs. I wanted to test my characterization skills.**

 **Obviously, none of this is Canon. I'm not claiming it to be. This was just a fun exercise, meant to entertain. If I make at least one person happy w/this, then I have fulfilled my purpose. Fandom should be big enough for all different tastes. I won't step on anyone's toes.**

 **Next time: the night rolls on, as do the memories. Who is this second Sister? Will she be a worthy addition to the Shinra name and bloodline? And just where do Yazoo's reactions here stem from? Until we meet again, adieu dear Readers.**


	2. Can

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', 'Bleach' or 'Jigsaw Girl'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami, Tite Kubo and the Toadies. I only own my OC and this story. Thank you.**

 **Can**

It was common knowledge in the highest levels as to the reasons why the girls had gone missing, as well as how. President Shinra's first wife had died shortly after his son Rufus' birth. His father eventually remarried, but his second wife...hadn't been well-liked by the people. This was the woman who would bring forth the next two heirs to the family name.

She wasn't a bad woman, by any means. Their Mother hadn't done anything to hurt others. But she had been rather...hard to handle, at times. There were no clear stories, but you know how rumors work. And she wasn't perfect, by any means; it was inevitable that she'd slip up where someone could see, one day. But whatever had managed to leak out into her persona to the masses...it hadn't worked in her favor. So there had been a noticeable backlash upon hearing of her pregnancy. Nobody wanted to accept that the unlikable Queen was now bringing forth new life under Shinra's mantle.

A twinge then, just slightly, in distaste and irritation. The girls had been born well enough-what a surprise when it turned out to be two instead of one! That wasn't when the problems had started. Oh, no. It was after that, after they'd grown a few months in age.

It hadn't been by some surprise assault or attack that the girls had been snatched. No, it had been a covert operation, right out under the nose of Shinra itself. The rebels against Shinra were known for pulling stunts, but this time...it wasn't just a stunt. The plan, and its damage, had been all too real. They had been working and stationed in the company themselves, the ones who had ultimately kidnapped the two babes, passing them on to the underground network of black market resistance.

Following that, their Mother had fallen into a deep melancholy. Although the stories told that they had simply divorced amicably, the truth was that she had been shipped off, to be committed overseas. The loss of her children had taken far too great a toll on her to keep up any sort of public persona or be able to manage a company. It was unknown what had become of her since then. A sad ending to what should've been a crowning, glorious moment in any Mother's life.

That's how it was with humans, right? They took things like birth very seriously. He didn't understand it; after all, he'd been grown with science, not love. Not a woman. Not a Mother.

But now, none of that mattered. Not the tangled history, or a woman's heartache. The criminals had paid their dues in blood, the girls were safe, and not a thing had leaked out to the rest of the world. As per usual, Shinra had been at the top of their game, keeping things steady.

It was now simply a joyous occasion that finally, the full Shinra clan would be reunited. Half of being pure or not-that was a popular argument among the dissenters-the girls were still heirs. And they were alive. The bloodline ran through their veins. Seeing as he was getting on in years, the President wanted to be certain that the company would be in secure hands. He was proud of his son, but the boy didn't need to run Shinra all on his own. These two would be there, as support and backup. It would guarantee the company wouldn't fall to ruin. Two heads are better than one, so why not three? Something like that. That, and it also meant more offspring, to further extend the Shinra family lineage and reach.

Yazoo's gaze softened.

When _**she'd**_ first been brought to the company headquarters, the male hadn't been prepared for what was in store for him. Based on his impression of Kyra, he'd been so certain that the new face was going to be just as lively and open with them as her. They were related, right? Same father, same mother? That's how it worked-relatives always had something similar to them, something in common that was so obvious on the surface.

Well, somewhat.

The second Princess was on the taller side-taller, and skinnier. She seemed to sway in place at times. Yazoo wondered how much she ate. Like Kyra, her hair was in a darker shade, but hers wasn't as rich in its hue. It was almost...duller, in tone. It seemed to have a greyish sheen to it, although in the lighting a single golden or auburn strand would catch in just that right glow of a moment-which wasn't very often. Then, it was gone. Like it had never existed to begin with.

'Ash brown' was the term he eventually came to describe it as. It was also a bit longer than Kyra's. This girl's hair fell down her back in a knotted mess, past the top of her shoulder blades, and in her face with thick, choppy bangs. They hid the one single feature of hers that was pure and clean.

Her eyes. They were different from Kyra's, to begin with. She had round, warm brown eyes, that were always alight with some sort of interest or other. This girl's eyes were more angled, with a paler iris. Deep circles beneath them only served to lighten them further. Yazoo hadn't been able to tell their color, at first-once their guest had gotten nearer however, he'd finally been able to work out the shade. They were a sort of grey hue, or possibly murky green. One of the two. Nowhere near bright and vivid like his and his brothers. Not welcoming like Kyra's. Why did she look so...

Most of the time, she had her head down, and tried to keep her eyes to the floor. But when he did get glimpses, he couldn't help but stare. Aside from being closer in shade to the other side of the Shinra line, there was nothing abnormal about them. Color alone was not enough to satisfy his interests. No, it was what he saw beyond that; the emotions locked behind her silent, searching gaze.

He hadn't known exactly what those 'emotions' were supposed to represent. But he couldn't deny the skip of his heart-there was something there, something that, even at a younger age, had been dying to come out on the prowl. Back then, he hadn't realized, nor understood how to describe it. The sensation was just a strong rush of adrenaline. Today, he knew it all too well. That desire for prey, predatory mannerisms kicking into overdrive.

However, he was not one to act on impulse or instinct alone; after all, what sort of reward was he really getting out of all this? Surely there had to be more here than just animal instincts and reactions. He wasn't one for wasting his time, either. Kyra had proven herself to be worth something; could this child do the same? If the prey could not handle the chase, or...if the prey was not worth it to chance...he'd rather know about it now than sometime later, when he'd already wasted part of his existence with nonsense.

That was true, even back in his younger years. Adolescent Yazoo had no interest in boredom, and wasn't about to charge out of the gate with arms wide open. She would get the same analysis as Kyra. Would she give him a reason to welcome her into the fold? Into his life?

No matter if he hadn't felt like hunting when Kyra had first come around.

He'd honestly wanted to get a better look at the girl, but she was so shy, and jumpy-'fearful' was a good way to describe it. And fidgety, too. Everyone had been able to notice it in this first interaction: she was not used to social situations, and was terrified at meeting others, never mind being put on the spot to introduce herself.

Upon first acknowledgement after finally being revealed, she'd simply let out a little squeak, before offering a soft and ultimately unintelligible answer. Following this, she hid once more behind the ones who had brought her over. After a few more exchanges, Yazoo at long last managed to get a name.

Kira. Her name was Kira. Kira Shinra.

After the guard had left, everyone had got to work getting to know the new girl in their own ways. Kyra had gone right up to her, and gave her a big hug-which also startled the girl. Had she never held someone before? Even Yazoo, sheltered as he was, managed to experience such contact. At least, once Kyra had come around. He wasn't complaining here, _some_ times it could be...very nice.

After a few moments, Kira returned the friendly gesture-though it was still halted and reserved. As if she wasn't sure she should have been touching her.

Like she wasn't allowed to.

"I'm _so_ happy to finally meet you, Kira! And I'm so glad you're safe!" Kyra had flashed a megawatt smile, upon pulling away from the embrace. "When I found out I had a sister, I was so stoked! I have someone new to hang out with, and share things with, and just-ahh, this is so awesome! I have a _sister,_ not just brothers!" She was trying not to jump up and down out of pure jubilation, while Kira merely nodded her head quickly, cheeks beginning to turn a rosy shade of pink. She mumbled out another reply, and flinched slightly, as if reacting to the softness of her own voice. Why was she so quiet? And why...why was she turning that color?

It was an understandable reaction that Kyra was having here-she had a new sibling, this was cause for interest. Care. That was how it had been when Kyra had first shown up, though obviously the emotions hadn't been on nearly as full of a display, seeing as, at that time, it had been only him and his Brothers. This time, Kyra was providing most of the emotional pull.

Kira, though...she was awkward. Unsure of herself. Timid beyond belief. Yazoo's attention had been quietly drawn to her, gaze fixed and wondering what on Gaia she had to be so scared about. Did she _really_ think that any of them were going to hurt her?

That little grin, now akin to that of a slasher. Eyeing his victim, seducing them with his voice even as he told them "You have three seconds to start running." It was so hard, trying to keep it from spreading. That, and the _other_ feeling, that was building up too...a little lower. Lower, lower...

Unfortunately, there always had to be some sort of conflict or other. And once again, it was his hotheaded brother, Kadaj. Seemed he'd noticed the girl's halting actions-and _really_ didn't like them. Kadaj had no patience for cowards or shrinking violets, and this new figure was pushing all of his buttons at once. He'd gotten right in Kira's face with that same patented glare, the one he'd sprung on Kyra once before. His yell was startling and rather unwelcome, but familiar, at least to most of their ears.

"You're too freaking quiet! Speak up already!"

The reaction was instantaneous. Kira had shrunk back immediately, hands covering her head as if she were taking a blow. Yazoo took note of this-and so did the others. The silence had fallen like a ten-ton curtain. Kira was practically hyperventilating. He could feel her heart beat-it was bouncing all over the place! In a panicked, truly terrified voice, she'd cried out:

"P-Please don't hurt me! I'm s-sorry!"

It was the loudest Yazoo, or any of them, had heard her so far in that first encounter. Her voice was a bit higher than Kyra's-but that may've just been the nerves talking. A little breathy, too. The look in her eyes had said it all, as she'd spared a quivering, quick glance back to the now stupefied Kadaj. He'd rattled her thoroughly. A growl left his lips then, and he'd prepared to set the girl straight.

"What are you cowering for?! If you're gonna apologize, look me in the eye!" At this, Kira finally broke, letting out a muffled yelp behind her balled fist and running for cover behind Kyra. Her breathing was ragged, but it was apparent that, no matter the sounds heard before, she was doing everything in her power not to cry.

By this point, Kyra had already hauled off against Kadaj, tearing him a new one for scaring her- _their_ Sister. He hadn't offered much in retort for his actions. 'Much' being the operative word here-it was less than usual, but the defiance was still there. Loz had just been watching in silence, not wanting to get involved in the conflict. He didn't like it when everyone fought. Sparring was one thing, and this wasn't it. It was way too stressful. Couldn't they all just play together and have fun? Maybe then their new Sister wouldn't be so scared?

As for Yazoo...

 _How?_ How could two siblings be so vastly differing to each other? It wasn't like their group didn't know anything about having it rough-all of them had had their own struggles to handle, and move on from. They hadn't been broken down by it, no-everything that they took, they dealt back double. They used their pain to grow. But this girl...

Her history was shady, like Kyra's, though nowhere near as straightforward. She'd been "passed from family to family, through a messy system." In other words, moved from home to home, area to area, whenever Shinra got too close. Lovely. They'd found her in Wutai, of all places, if he recalled correctly. She'd never had a stable living structure, unable to have a place to truly call home. That was intriguing to the male. Although he'd spent most of his life cooped up in Shinra and its labs, he wasn't dense; he recognized the situation here. Being passed around like an object, an oddity, a curiosity...that was something he could relate to, very deeply. No matter if the scenery didn't often change.

So. Many. Fucking. Tests.

It didn't make sense to him yet, however. So she'd been moving around often. Why hadn't she been able to adapt and learn and grow stronger, like they had? When life gave them a hard time, they would pick themselves back up from the dirt, before charging off to kick it in the balls. Not the shins. Maybe the ovaries, if life was a woman? What if life was genderless?

...well, he could still shoot it through the fucking head. That had never failed him before.

This girl, Kira, she had seemed to be in a severe state of under-development; she couldn't speak up, or stand straight, couldn't stand still, and was always fidgeting and fiddling with herself. She also seemed to have the worst time with eye contact, and had to be reminded often to look up when she replied with her words, that were too soft to hear. And that messy rat's nest hairdo only served to hide her further with its near-impenetrable tangled shield.

She didn't roam around much either, unlike Kyra. For the first couple days, she'd spent all her time in her room, not coming out for anything. What was keeping her there was unknown, not properly understood. But it was enough for them, or at least some of the higher-ups, i.e Shinra and co., to begin worrying about her state. They would periodically send people to check up on her, as well as bring trays of food to her room. The status reports were foreboding, and the food front was no better. They'd wind up carrying out the trays hours later upon the next room inspection...virtually untouched.

It seemed that she hadn't been taking care of grooming and hygiene, as well. Hell, they didn't even know if she was using the bathroom properly! Was it because of the lack of sustenance that she could do this? Now things were really getting scary, if only to the officials. Yazoo had recalled his mild curiosity back then, of hearing about a human failing to function in such a manner. Why was she behaving this way? Why was she so tired? How anyone could sleep so much was beyond him, but stranger things had happened.

Still, that didn't explain any of what was going on here. Kira was not playing ball; it was questionable whether she'd even made it out to the field. And her energy was frightening, to everyone else. It was as if she wasn't there, wasn't registering them or much of anything that was going on. Her vitals were stable, but she wasn't active. And those stats were slowly dropping, day by day. She'd simply be lying down in her bed, "like a broken doll", every time someone came to check on her. That was how one person had described it, and that was the phrase that had chosen to stick in Yazoo's memory all this time.

Heh. What a perfect metaphor.

Eventually, because she wasn't eating or drinking much, things went into crisis mode. After attempting to eat for the first time in nearly a week, the girl's body had violently rejected the food, and had begun forcing out everything already in her system as well. Since that wasn't much, she had soon wound up in a painful series of uncontrollable dry heaves. They had to call in the doctors.

Kyra had been so worried, as she'd watched the specialists and their father go into her room. Yazoo and Loz had stood with her. One was taking in everything that happened with his usual unreadable expression. They couldn't see anything behind that uncrackable mask. The other was going in between holding his breath and whining under it. He was a mix of childish confusion, impatience, and quiet resignation. Why wouldn't their new Sister come outside?

Since Kira had been going without food and for so long, she was dehydrated. The examination also revealed that she was malnourished, and underweight. She'd starved herself to a near skeletal point, being unable to keep anything down. Why she hadn't been eating or anything else was not clear. But, she'd taken an IV of fluids and a few injections, before being placed on a strict diet, to start building up her health. They couldn't have a sick Princess after all, could they?

After that incident, it seemed like things were back on the right track. Kyra would go often to visit Kira while she was recuperating, usually with Yazoo, sometimes Loz, in tow. Kadaj still didn't think much of her, so he was absent from the majority of visits.

But on a rare occasion, he'd peeked around the ajar door, that pout on his face before disappearing back outside. Like he didn't know whether to come in or not. He really hated not being in the limelight, didn't he? Yazoo hadn't cared about it then, and still didn't. He had been all too fixated on the enigma before him, tangled in her bedsheets.

Kyra was the only one able to get any sort of words out of her, at first. She was polite to Yazoo and Loz, but hadn't yet attempted to engage them in any sort of real conversation. And even with her small communications to Kyra, she still never tried to initiate the talking or interaction. She always waited for Kyra to start things first.

She never asked for anything, either. Not once. Not snack or drink, assistance or information. She never even asked them to come back. It wasn't out of displeasure, though-on a couple of visits, when he and Kyra had been heading out the door, Yazoo had turned back unexpectedly...to catch the timid Kira staring straight at him-or them, he couldn't be certain. But they were the ones who always locked eyes, he was the one who always turned back. And just for those fleeting moments, he could see her face. The face she tried so desperately to hide from the world.

That look in her eyes. It haunted him so. Had she truly not wanted them to leave? And if she had asked, just once...would he have considered staying?

Then, the next batch of trouble. As he and Kyra had continued to visit Kira, they'd soon found that her condition seemed to be worsening once again. This time, Yazoo had taken further notice of the dark circles beneath her eyes. Always there, but they were far more prominent now. Not only that, but...her mood. Even with her issues, Kira was relatively stable around them. She didn't do much, but her responses weren't outlandish. Now, though...

She had quite a few instances of that silent detachment, as if she really wasn't there in the room with them. Simply staring off at something or another and not responding. The look in her eyes was unnerving to watch, at least for her sister. Yazoo would simply take note, waiting to see how long she would stay like that, and when she would finally come to, back to them. Where did she go, when she stepped out of her mind in such a manner?

Loz was baffled, and had, at least once or twice, waved a hand in front of her face, out of frustration. He had come pretty close to clipping her nose, and Loz wasn't weak. In spirit maybe, but as far as brute strength went, he had plenty of that to spare. Kyra had scolded him for it, though ultimately his actions had the desired effect. Kira had returned with a start, and had been looking at them like a cornered animal. It had taken a couple of seconds for her to recognize who she was around.

Also, those reactions. At other times, she was hypersensitive, to the point of refusing any sort of physical or verbal contact. Kyra couldn't even sit next to her, or reach out for any sort of interaction, without Kira turning, pushing her hands away and whimpering. And if she attempted to speak when Kira wasn't ready to hear things, she'd pull the comforter high up over her head, obscuring her shivering form from view. When Kira was visible, she was more twitchy and anxious than normal. Constantly trying to catch her breath, her knuckles would clutch at the sheets. The skin would turn white from force.

As it turned out, Kira hadn't been sleeping this time around. She had taken to walking up and down the path outside her room, talking to herself in hushed tones. On the night she'd been noticed, and guided back to bed, she'd snapped. She couldn't handle the stress and strain, nor the fear that had apparently been coursing through her at the time. She'd fought, but it was helpless and unbalanced. She struggled more than she engaged, really.

She had certainly been vocal though, for once. Strangely, Yazoo hadn't heard a thing the night of. But they'd had to restrain and sedate her, just to get her to calm down. She hadn't been sleeping for a week straight by this point. That was what they were able to determine once the girl calmed enough to answer some quick, basic questions, before nodding off from the drugs.

It was around then that things became clear: Kira was...not quite normal, Princess title notwithstanding. Why was she like this? Perhaps her old records would hold a clue?

Records, ha. There was virtually nothing available on her, just like her Sister-of course the crooks hadn't kept track of their growth. The only things they cared about were taking control, and using the two as they saw fit in their war with Shinra. But these incidents, plus Kira's general physical and emotional state, were enough to get more of the doctors involved.

After a few days in and out of an office down a bit further from them, Kira was now placed on a regiment of pills. Once a month, she would go back to this office, that was borrowed for the purpose of 'therapy sessions'. There were two doctors she would see as well, in the same time frame. They'd both been found and employed by Shinra, the best of the best at what they did. The first was called a 'Psychologist', and she would talk to her, trying her best to get the girl to open up and shed some further light on things. The other was referred to as a 'Psychiatrist', and he was the one who controlled her new medications. The details had been a bit vague, but from what he could understand, Kira...had apparently been wired in the head just a bit differently than all of them.

'Mental illness', that's how they labelled it. Everything connected together, by a single thread. The eating troubles, marked as 'anorexia'; the sleeplessness on one hand called 'insomnia', and the exhaustion of 'depression' on the other. The twitching, funny breathing, and rapid heart rate? All due to 'anxiety' and 'panic attacks'.

So many terms, so many new disorders that Yazoo never would've thought possible, much less all comprised into one human being.

Trouble. This was troublesome for Shinra. This was a secret that had to be kept hidden from the public, no matter if it could be managed-who on the Planet would trust an heiress who didn't have all of her marbles? Even if Shinra had the resources to combat things, and were currently using them, it wasn't something that could just be erased away, like a common cold. Mental illnesses could be just as harsh as physical ones. It didn't make a difference if they were 'visible' or not.

The plan to keep Kira on the right track-and out of the tabloid speculation-was simple enough to follow, for those with a setup like theirs. And it seemed to work too, for the most part. Kira was eating at least two or three meals a day, if not very large ones. And she was sleeping regularly at night too, thanks to the meds.

But she continued to spend the majority of her time holed up in her room. That wasn't healthy, even he could see that. Whether or not he cared was another matter entirely, and not one Yazoo cared to focus on. He could only begin to wonder what she got up to in that space, her little living square. She still hadn't been a resident of the company for very long, and seeing as she wouldn't go out and about-heck, she hadn't even started attending her classes at 'school' yet, beside Kyra!-she hadn't accumulated nearly enough things to warrant such an interest in those solitary surroundings. She'd only been having all these medical issues, both physical and mental. That was something he couldn't understand.

She was socially awkward, yes. Quiet, too. She wasn't verbose, and she seemed to not be very good at looking out for herself. But hadn't anyone ever tried to teach her? Or was it just her head that messed everything up?

That led to more statements and acknowledgements, serving to put a definite twist on things. Because Kira functioned a certain way, she suddenly had a new label-and at times, a new hushed reputation among some of the few who worked in the upper chambers, but didn't know to keep their mouths shut. Not yet, anyway. They let the power get to their heads, which was where the judgmental tendencies had kicked in.

"Basket case", "a brat", "defective", "problem child", "a violent little weirdo", "drama queen", "filthy".

Again, it was another case of 'You don't know me'-the only difference was that this time, Kira was the target. His awkward, oddball little sister-hermit that hadn't done a thing to harm anyone, other than herself with all the physical sickness brought on by inner torment. Why, he still couldn't fathom. But they were saying these things, about someone who wouldn't, or couldn't fight back, even if she had known. This would only serve to increase their incessant mocking.

Although Yazoo was as yet in no way close to Kira, the disagreements had still set off a spark in him, a flare of something that had crackled and burned. It was far too similar to his own situation. The only change was the fact that he could actually defend himself, and take down anyone who was stupid enough to cross him in the first place. They were picking on someone who, for whatever reason, was virtually helpless to stop them. A pointless target.

He didn't usually care about such matters, targets were targets. It wasn't like he hadn't lorded his own strength over opponent's heads how many times before in battle, before delivering the finishing strike. There were times he liked a challenge, while at others, he just wanted them to die for him already.

He couldn't quite identify the feeling inside him, at seeing this display of negativity towards the girl. It was unfamiliar, yes. But...was it painful? Or did he like it?

 **A/N: ...and, that's Chapter Two. At long last, an update, and a bit more explanation.  
**

 **Here is where the main OC comes in, the second of two sisters. And, she's...well, obviously she didn't grow up in a place like Silent Hill. But, everyone has their own forms of Hell to go through in life. She's no different. Her hell just manifests in mental discombobulation and utter fear. Her past is still unknown; what happened to her during her time being shipped around like a possession. Not a person. That alone could be terrifying for a child. And beyond that...**

 **Hopefully the interactions between everyone, and the observations on our Narrator's part, didn't seem too far-fetched or outlandish? Even if the story seems so, I did do my best to build up believable personas and thought processes here. OOC bothers me...that's one reason I specifically chose to write this from Yazoo's POV, instead of Kira's. Before you can work w/your own faces, you must be able to understand the hearts and minds of those who are already before you. You have to understand the basics before you start playing around off the beaten path. Does this make sense?**

 **Next time: Acknowledgement, a smack of violent reasoning, and first encounters one-on-one. Until we meet again, take care everyone. Happy holidays to you and yours.  
**


	3. Breathe

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', 'Bleach' or 'Jigsaw Girl'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami, Tite Kubo and the Toadies. I only own my OC and this story. Thank you.**

 **Breathe**

That momentary pause, both in his present thoughts and the ones from the past. Then, the clench. No. He _didn't_. Whatever this feeling was...it wasn't one he cared to encourage. He wanted it banished from his presence at once.

Where did it come from? Was it all because of circumstances, because of imbalance, because of her? Perhaps since she was meant to be his younger Sister, even the way she was...the impact resonated harder with him. Stronger than it usually did, when he looked out over things with his own gaze. Looking through her eyes...it was ugly, what he could see.

The vehement urges hadn't ceased. They'd only continued to build. Eventually, he'd wind up snapping, and wouldn't be satisfied until he'd completely taken out the target practice simulation. That certainly was interesting to watch each time, as the next users came in to find it shot to hell, literally. He'd leave the area with a smug smile on his lips, knowing full well they wouldn't dare to question him or his actions. Later though, he'd have to deal with the consequences. Not right then.

Hey, it was either destroy the simulation room, or destroy...something else. Something that was a little more fleshy and pliable. Vulnerable to his bullets. Rich with the red lifeforce that flowed through each and every one of their veins. How he'd loved to have seen it stain those walls! Ah, violence. Such an easy conclusion to jump to. So pure and sure in its existence, death. Once it struck, no matter the speed, it all spelt the end. Nobody was immune, no one could escape. Some people just took longer in reaching that point of extinction than others.

But enough musing.

Who were these people to talk such garbage? It wasn't like he and his brothers, or Kyra, had been easy enough to take care of. Add on to that, these nitwits-they worshiped the ground they walked on, and were meant to be loyal to the Shinra name. And they were, up to a point. They were when everyone came together to form that happy little public portrait of pure deception. When everything was functional; when Shinra and its elites weren't being hounded and black-balled in the press. They flocked when things were pretty and perfect, on the right track.

The populace had no idea of the steps it took to get there. If they had known, truly known, the full purpose of him and his brothers; what they were born and bred to do-and what they had already done, with their own two hands and array of weapons?

They'd be horrified. Absolutely horrified.

A sick, dark mirth was glinting in Yazoo's eyes, tainting his devilish smile with further shadowy intentions. These idiots, their 'adoring' fan base, they were the ones who would applaud their bravery in battle, their success in combat, and everything they conquered and achieved. Every victory, every fresh piece of land, taken down in the name of Shinra. Every new branch of business that grew out from the main base, spreading around the world as the 'electric company' gradually gained dominance over the masses.

These were the people who supported the wars, the expansion, but didn't give a damn about what they were for, or just what was truly involved. His eyes narrowed. They didn't understand the concept of sacrifice, or that there was more to the world than their narrow little views. They couldn't. Everything existed for them and them alone-they could take, take, take, without offering anything in return. It wasn't a matter of having a job or being important.

Such a twisted expression on his beautiful features. A mask of pure, aggressive desire; the need to slaughter. They didn't know what it was like, to have to fight for your life, your right to live. To him, they were below the slum dwellers-at least those goons still had a thought or two of their own in there. Such sheltered, ignorant little rats up among them here. Wastes of space. Would they still have considered them 'perfection' if they knew of all these things, including the mindsets that went on inside each of them? How they _really_ felt and thought about the world? Their opinions on everyone and everything around them?

Some of them enjoyed conflict...a little _**too**_ much. All that blood. Blood **lust** even, at certain times, depending on just how much of a fight their vic-erm, opponent would put up. Oh, heads would _roll_. There would certainly be a backlash.

And Yazoo would have no problems with putting all that hypocrisy to an end. It wasn't like he was doing this for Shinra out of any sort of 'honor' or 'loyalty'. It was just home base, the one place he could consider some sort of warped shelter against the storm of life beyond the metal barriers. If anyone were to threaten his peace and stability...they would be swiftly taken care of. No one was allowed to tamper with what he had built up, achieved here. This was his space, his niche he'd carved out into existence, like surgery with no anesthesia or stitches.

The wound would always remain fresh, to forever be ready for reopening. Splitting wide, like a carved smile into skin. The infection of his influence would gradually spread, just like toxins inside a body.

He didn't know what Kira had been through, but after hearing those remarks, he'd made up his mind then and there: he would find out her secrets, what made her tick. What sorts of powers had come together to create such a misshapen, doe-eyed creature? How did she survive? She was their 'Sister', right? Kyra had done her part, and was still doing it; Loz and Kadaj had contributed as much as could be expected, considering the time frame and characters involved. The health issues hadn't really spurred their interest much. Now, it was Yazoo's turn. As he'd mentioned before, he wasn't big on socializing. But his curiosity was goading him on, encouraging him to reach out to this little lost ghost of a girl.

Not out of any sort of ideal for 'friendship', like so many humans went on about, or even just to welcome her into the circle. No, his was a nagging need, like a riddle he couldn't think out and reason away. How could a normal human being turn out so...so beaten? So cowed and paranoid? So dysfunctional? Dysfunctional...that last part, so much like himself, though in a different manner.

She wasn't violent, per se. She was no hunter. But he was. And this time, the prey did entice. He had caught the first scent of fresh blood.

One step forwards. It really hadn't been out of concern, or any sort of 'love' either, that he had started this first mission. It was his want of getting Kira to crack. To let him in, just like every other human he'd met had been so eager to do. Those hungering, starving masses...so quick to jump and devour. So blind and accepting, the easiest to fool. This whole endeavor, it had been a whim, a fancy; an idea that had wandered in and caught his eye, just long enough to give a good round of chase.

Those crowds, the majority of humanity, he hadn't wasted a second glance on. They would always open their mouths a little too wide, and let their true stupidity escape, like noxious fumes. A gross but fitting description. Only that select few he had bothered to hold on to; he'd forged at least some sort of connection or even affection with them. Not necessarily like true caring, but something that was strong enough to outweigh the desire to simply attempt a revolt out of sheer frustration, and see how many of them he could kill before he lost his head, literally. Hello, Masamune.

A smirk then. Would it be worth it?

He paused for just a moment, before arriving at his conclusion. No, not really. There was enough interest in his devious little heart to let them into his side too, his domain. Brothers were Brothers; sooner or later, they'd wander in, and in the case of his siblings, it had been impossible to kick them out. He'd just had to resign himself to the fact that they were to be a part of his life, whether he liked it or not. Besides, he'd grown rather fond of his current existence. He wasn't ready to give up his place in the world just yet, for any reason.

Kyra hadn't been related to him, but she'd been one of the _few_ humans he'd encountered on this ball of dirt and water who actually had a brain, and could think for herself. She could see him, down to his core, as his Brothers were able to-and she didn't reject what she'd found beneath. With all of them, she'd whole-heartedly accepted what they gave, and understood. She'd had no desire to try and 'change' them, get them to fit an imagined mold, like the rest of the Planet. She accepted them, sinful stains and all.

Such a characteristic wasn't always the simplest thing to find, which made her all the more memorable. She was company that wouldn't try to cut and run if hell broke loose, in whatever manner. Considering that she was already permanently attached to the Shinra name, it was a nice extra reassurance. If they were to go down, it would be as one big festering sore of destructive depravity. He wouldn't have it any other way.

What a charming addition to their unit, he'd thought to himself at the time. Whoever this 'Paul' was, he'd managed to raise Kyra well. How he'd managed such a feat, Yazoo couldn't be sure. Perhaps he should've been patenting it to the mindless hordes. Maybe they'd learn something, for once and for the future generations. If he cared to extend his focus on them that far. And in the end, they weren't worth his spit.

What about Kira? Could she, being this way...would she...ever be able to accept people like them? Like him?

He didn't know the answer back then, but he'd still been determined as anything to find out. He liked a good challenge, and figuring out just what was going on inside dearest little Sister's head had seemed to be an interesting little experiment. A game, if you would. She would amuse him, until he'd gotten his fill, and then things would settle.

She would transition into the family, like Kyra, and he'd tease her, like Kyra. They would be one big 'happy' mess, just the way they liked it. The way it was meant to be. He remembered the first time he'd gone to visit Kira in her room alone, without being led along by Kyra. It hadn't been a spontaneous decision, he'd had to wait for the right opportunity. But he'd snatched it as soon as the chance arrived.

Having taken the path enough times to have it memorized, Yazoo had no trouble finding his way to her abode. Pressing his ear against the barrier, he'd listened for the sound of any sort of movement from the other side-hey, heightened senses came in handy. After hearing nothing, he'd opened the door, without bothering to offer a knock. Why should he have to?

That was when he caught a faint squeal, from the direction of the bed. He'd stopped, for a second, before walking into the room coolly. Once more, he was the image of professional smoothness.

"Hello, Sister." The words came forth without any struggle, as he took in the familiar surroundings of her room, and the sight of Kira bundled up in the bed. The four pale walls seemed to shrink her down, making her look so very small indeed. The grey tint of drawn curtains didn't help on that front. This time though, there was an open book upon her covers. Had she been reading until he'd stepped in? Hmm, he would never have pegged her for that.

From the way she talked to others, he'd been so certain that she would most likely have further problems with comprehending things, like typing or writing. How could she put together sentences on paper or computer if she couldn't even speak straight? His interest had grown slightly; it wasn't a large text, but it had enough pages to pique his interest. What could it possibly be about...? What sort of wordplay and structure did it possess?

Kira had not addressed him verbally at all, but she had offered a hesitant nod. She still wouldn't make eye contact. This puzzled Yazoo to no end. Why did she have all these odd habits? Where had she picked them up from? She had nice enough eyes, at least, in his opinion-if he were forced to pick a descriptor. Having to say one or the other, he'd call them pleasant as opposed to nauseating. It was just baffling as to why she was so insistent about hiding them.

Yazoo was a rather vain bastard, he would admit this-after all, he was usually considered the most 'alluring' out of his Brothers, aside from oldest Brother Sephiroth. But he usually didn't give a shit about anyone else's appearance. Kyra was the one slight exception at the time-she was a girl, and his Sister, and he would compliment her, when he felt like it. He wasn't a machine, he didn't issue them out to a target as if set on a track.

It wasn't like the girl didn't have charm anyway, she could be cute as a button, and quite often, too. His thoughts had then returned to her Sister. This one, however...

Suddenly, Yazoo had had a new task in mind, or two tasks: get Kira to look at him fully, and get her to talk to him, clearly and more than just a couple short words, either. He wanted a satisfying conversation, or one more detailed than all they'd shared so far-which was admittedly zero. Even just one word, aimed at him and him alone, would be enough. She would acknowledge him properly! And then, the real fun would begin.

His new Sister had been looking down at the bedcovers, hands clasped in her lap as she fiddled with her fingers every so often. Occasionally, a shiver would wrack her thin frame. Those twitches and tremors. Where did they all stem from? The male had found himself walking over to the bed before he'd even realized it, and in another move, he was sitting on the plush blankets beside her. Shinra wasn't afraid to indulge the family a little; the bed was big enough to hold a couple of people, and luxuriously comfortable as all hell get out.

But the girl who currently resided in it had an expression of silent, taut panic upon her face, as she'd registered his actions. By the time he'd settled in against the bed frame, a content look on his face, he'd found that Kira had scooted about three feet away from him, towards the other end of the mattress. One hand was clutching the sheets, while the other was lifted chest level, over where her heart would be. She was breathing hard, and her cheeks were flushed, like she had a fever. Yazoo could hear them clearly: the beats of said heart, and the rhythm of her pulse.

The look in her eyes was a mix of bewilderment, fear, and...what was the last one? He couldn't quite tell; although he'd gotten good at reading people and their emotions cover to cover-really, humans were so simple-he was unsure of whether or not such an emotion had been directed at him before, in this particular set of potent brew. Was it another bad one? Was it being triggered by what he'd just done, merely sitting beside her? Had she not even been in close proximity to another person alone before?

Or maybe...she was scared of boys?

Now, Yazoo was chuckling to himself in the quiet of his room. How it had taken him that long to reach this conclusion, he didn't know. Whether it was actually true or not was another thing altogether. But no matter the answer, it did make some sense; the way she'd reacted to Kadaj, the fact that she wouldn't respond to anyone other than Kyra, the fact she hadn't tried to reach out to any of the males, and now this. She was so jumpy at him just _sitting_ beside her on the bed! What, did she honestly think he was going to try and pull something on her there?

That disturbingly charming, violent grin. Not then. He wouldn't have done it then. And he wouldn't do it now, either.

The grin grew. _**Probably**_.

Back then, he'd simply given her a calm, disarming smile at her reaction. It worked too, or to a point. Kira's expression softened slightly, though her heart continued to hammer. Such a marvelous rhythm, so catchy indeed. Letting out a low chuckle, he'd turned his attention towards the discarded book, which had been shifted nearer towards the middle of the mess of blankets. It must've happened when its owner went scurrying away like a scared rabbit. Did she think he was going to eat her, like a wolf?

Mmm...

"Relax," he'd told her, reaching over to take the novel in his gloved hands. "I just came to see what you were up to." His eyes flashed, as he gazed down at the hardcover. Although it was reading material much below his level, it wasn't too far down from hers, or the level she most likely would've been had she been properly raised. It was something Kyra could probably read in one sitting, but for someone like Kira, starting out as she was...it was impressive, in its own light. Apparently, she had been taught a few things while away from home for twelve years. How long the reach extended, he couldn't be sure. He'd just have to keep investigating.

Looking to her once more, he'd set the book aside, smile in place. Now, that old teasing light had crept into his expression. Kira still looked panicked, but at least she hadn't tried to run, or scream, or even kick him off the bed. She could have, but she didn't. Couldn't she?

She'd kept looking down, while his gaze remained trained on her. Oh, her face was getting so red! A shock of cherry, bleeding out against faded, sickly ivory. It was a rather pleasing sight beyond her form as well, seeing that flush of color among the stock pastel sheets, dull white walls and the frilly, long nightgown she'd seemed to live in. How could she stand to wear the same thing every day?

Although, the roomy design did suit her frail frame well...and wasn't he a pot calling the kettle black here? He too had a stock daily wardrobe that, even now had not changed a bit since it was first introduced into his existence. Only the size.

Back to that moment. "I _am_ your Brother," he had emphasized, watching the reactions triggered in her. Her heart was speedy as ever. "Do I need a reason to check in on my Sister?" Kira's heart had continued its hard and steady beat, that slight softness in her expression now giving way to more worry and...distrust? Why was she so afraid of him? Such a reaction, and he hadn't even done anything yet. Yazoo was briefly torn, between the thought of soothing her racing pulse...

...or stoking it further. In the end, he wound up choosing a mix of the two. It was one of the best decisions he'd ever made, in his opinion.

"Kira." With one fluid motion, he was directly in front of her, moved from his place leaning back against the headboard and pillows. He'd felt her heart skip a beat, violently, but she still didn't try to push him away. Her tremors were getting more noticeable, though. His eyes had been glittering, as he'd taken this opportunity to look her over that first time up close.

Yazoo noted her pale pallor in the dim morning light, in contrast with the flush to her cheeks. It only served to fade the rest of her more, casting scratchy shadows across her face, or at least on the left side until she turned away. Mostly he was viewing her right. Her lips were small, with chips in the edges-the outlines of scars. How did she get them? Well, her mouth itself was chapped with faint bloodstains; she must've been chewing on them recently, and parted, almost as if she were about to attempt to speak. But as always, no sound came out. Taking the opportunity, he'd continued on.

The male had reached over, to cup her chin in his hand. Kira had flinched at the touch, and this time attempted to back away from him further. Good, another reaction. He'd simply leaned in closer, tightening his grip just slightly and tilting her head to look up at him. She couldn't avoid his gaze now, no matter how many times she'd tried to cast her stare down. Kira had begun to tremble once more, but she made no other motion to fight back. She was cornered, though in his mind it had been a purely mutual agreement. Yazoo had been pleased-she'd seemed to understand his intent, and was willing to hear him out.

So, he'd drawn in nearer, until his lips had been about two inches away from hers. Oh my, her heart had been close to combustion by this point! He'd seriously pondered the thought of such a possibility, from the rush of blood that was coursing forcefully through her veins.

"That's your name, isn't it? Kira Shinra." He'd waited, grip on her not relenting, until she herself began to finally slow, and respond to his inquiry. She couldn't push him away here. Instead, she'd offered a shaky, short nod. Her expression had shifted some now; it was one of quiet awe, not just fear. She'd seemed genuinely surprised that he was addressing her in such a way, that someone like him had even bothered to remember her name.

Well, she was his Sister, after all-wasn't that what Brothers were supposed to do, remember their Sisters names? It would be a rather dickish maneuver not to, and even if his general inclination _was_ to be an asshole, it wouldn't work well in his favor here. Not with this case. It could too easily backfire on him. Plus, she _had_ caught his attention, enough so that he'd easily recalled the moniker from his memory of their first meeting. He had to have something to address her by-she wasn't just faceless entertainment. Her name was simple, and it was similar to Kyra's too, so that probably helped some.

He'd brushed the bangs away from her face then, with the softest touch. They fell back into place soon enough, but that didn't matter. Yazoo had almost been amazed at his ability to pull off such a feat. His hands were usually considered far from that particular descriptor. He was graceful, but not sweet or delicate. The gloves and flesh beneath were stained to hell and back. The only other one he'd managed to keep his touches appropriate with was Kyra, but even she...he hadn't instinctively reacted so, like a parent trying to comfort a child. Not the best comparison, considering the characters involved, but there you go.

Yazoo hadn't actively been wanting to comfort her, though. It had just...happened. It was a tactic, he supposed, in gaining her trust. But it was something of a falsehood; he wasn't one to handle anything with kid gloves, much less people. It was all a part of the show. He had to make an example of this contrary display, if only to get those blasted defenses of hers down and out of his way. Then, he could reveal who he really was, and see whether she too, could accept him...

...or outlive her usefulness and become the one Sister he didn't give a crap about. **If** she chose to believe the lies, like the parasites outside.

"Like I said before...you _are_ my Sister. And isn't it a Brother's duty...to look after all of his siblings?" Like he actually did that in real life-for fuck's sake, he'd put up signs trying to sell Loz off to a new residence when they were younger. Any home, just because! He'd failed in that endeavor, of course. And don't forget all the fights he'd gotten into with Kadaj. It was obvious he wasn't a 'nice' guy, be it on the battlefield or at 'home'. Still, the words flowed so evenly, that for a moment he'd almost believed they were real, that he truly meant them.

Looking upon this from the present day, he could see where and when things had started to change, for certain areas of his life. He still didn't give much of a thought towards his Brothers, other than what he was required to. Kyra he didn't have to worry much about, seeing as she could fight some, or enough to get away, but was also now was in the 'care' of dearest older Brother Se-phi-roth.

There was one sibling out of the bunch, just one...

...one he was willing to 'look after', to 'protect', no matter the means involved. 'Protect' her from those who would try to harm her...or take her away from him.

He'd sealed the deal then, leaning in to close the distance between them, oh so teasing-only to kiss Kira on the cheek. The visible side, a.k.a her right. He'd felt it again, her heart had jolted, and if she hadn't been so near to the headboard and a thick pillow, she may've very well lost her balance and fallen over the edge behind her. His little stunt there had really caught her off guard. Was she _that_ afraid of contact, or guys? Or, had she just never been touched in such a way before?

Never been kissed...

Yazoo wasn't stupid. Lab though he may've grown up in, he'd still learned the basics of human interaction, and the various ways they reacted to stimuli, via those things known as 'emotions'. He himself, while created unnaturally, was a feeling creature just like them. No matter his distance, he too was prone to these 'emotions', though most of the time, he could keep them under lock and key. Most of the time, anyway.

Joy, sorrow, anger, fear, even love...that final elusive, unobtainable, perfect ideal of complete adoration and trust in another, enough to consider sharing the rest of your life with them. Sharing everything. Experiencing everything. Becoming one. Procreating even, as Hojo had been so insistent on bringing into the stupid appointment.

God, those fucking tests! Yazoo may've been hot before but now, he was burning. He could feel the sweat beginning to form, feel the sensations growing. It was too much-he had to remove the top half of his usual attire with a swift zip down and a shrug. As always, Hojo had _**not**_ been kidding about the testosterone. This was the worst of the downsides he got from missing his tests. It wasn't any sort of fever from illness that he was experiencing here.

It was lust. Arousal. Desire. Unrelenting want, and ever hungering need. Something he would have never dreamed possible, in someone like him. Yes, he knew that was a cliched response, Sephiroth probably used it in his own way with Kyra-but it was also an apt description of things. Perhaps that's why it was so popular...

Speaking of which, Sephiroth and Kyra. Nobody would've thought that someone like the great General First Class could be swayed by a mere woman-no matter if she was now the vice president of one of the most powerful companies in the world. At the time of their first meeting, she had still been an unpolished runt, and he'd been towering over and looking down. She'd hated it, he hadn't known what else to do other than enjoy it. Kyra hadn't given him any reasons to attempt otherwise.

He was untouchable, unreachable. Even when the mention of their engagement had gotten out, neither party had been thrilled. They hadn't gotten together since their first couple of misfires and run-ins, and although a lot had happened in their respective lives, their opinions on the other hadn't changed. No matter if she was assuming the Vice President's seat in Shinra, with Rufus fresh to the throne, or that she was related to the Shinra name to begin with. Sephiroth still thought she was an annoying, childish brat. And no matter if he'd won the Wutai war single-handedly, or brought more glory and fame to the company name. People could have two faces, and they often did-Yazoo was a shining example of this, if he did say so himself. Kyra still thought he was a pompous, arrogant ass. That was about right.

But when the engagement was announced, it ultimately had been a few years since their first encounters. They hadn't had any real contact with each other since then. She'd wanted nothing to do with 'his' area, at least if he was around, and he wouldn't bother to pay her or her presence any mind, if he were to be exposed to it in whatever form it chose to assail him with. Also add into that all the missions he'd wound up being sent on, which helped to keep him quite the busy fellow.

Kyra too had been under some pressure; aside from holding up her outside undercover persona, she was also being instructed on her future duties once the time came for her to assume the title of VP. This all turned out well in the end, seeing as it had given them some good space to mature and grow up a little more. When they'd met that night, on their first official 'date', things hadn't been flawless.

There was a bit of awkwardness, seeing as neither party knew how to start. Kyra had been playing with her fork, looking everywhere but at him; Sephiroth had been drumming his fingers against the table, not sure if he was supposed to be looking at her or not. It was a whole lot different now, seeing Kyra as she was after so many years of disinterest. Was it okay for him to think she looked pretty, if nothing else? Was it alright for her to think of him as handsome?

Both of them hadn't been quite sure how to deal with the situation, and the thought of his esteemed older Brother, in particular, being so nervous because of a mere human girl was very amusing. Sephiroth was not the most outgoing man to begin with-charismatic, of course, but not very open. Honest with his answers, but never once allowing anyone to peer inside his thoughts or domain. Pleasant, but private. Ha, Yazoo could've gone on all day with these comparisons! Still, he had to keep focused.

The point of all this, was that even the great and powerful First Class General Sephiroth...was not immune to the specter of love. None of them were, just...it came in an alternate form, one that wasn't always gentle in its beauty. Sometimes, love got ugly. Even the most perfect of relationships had its own dark roots. Though Yazoo was not about to elaborate on them any further. That was not his interest here.

 **A/N: So ends Chapter Three. Yazoo has made contact w/this fractured shell of a girl, and thus begun his game of exploration and potential rebuilding...to his specifications. Perhaps Kira is not quite out of the woods into the safe zone just yet? Or maybe a new sort of security is being formed here...one that requires a certain sort of unspoken sacrifice. What that may be is as of this point still unknown. But that's what updates are for, no?  
**

 **Next time: More meetings. More firsts. More introspection. And a better glimpse into just what exactly our silver-haired middle child sees in his new Sister. Until then, adieu.  
**


	4. Easier

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', or 'Bleach'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami and Tite Kubo. I only own my OC and this story. Thank you.**

 **Easier**

Kyra was honest on her own level, as well. As time passed between her and Sephiroth, that new bond was gradually formed and forged. It hadn't been easy, as they'd both had a decent few things to learn about the other. It took time for the machinations to start working together, instead of against like the programming long ago.

One year. One year had passed since that proper meeting. One year of engagement. One year of practice, politics, and future preparations. They'd gone through some other tough stuff since then, what with him always being sent out on missions, some of which could be seen as 'risky', even through the eyes of a Shinra Princess. She was human, after all, and it wasn't like he and his Brothers couldn't get hurt. Add into that the 'attentions' of the adoring but pesky public, always wanting a piece of the action, to be in the know, and you had a recipe for potential mayhem. But, somehow...they kept it together, and made the odd relationship demands work.

As he'd said before, Kyra didn't try to 'change' any of them, to whatever sort of ideal others may've had. Sephiroth was the greatest proof of this fact. She understood clearly: what she saw was what she got. And that stretched both ways; Kyra was just as truthful and expressive, opening her heart to someone like him so deeply. Even after all she'd been through. Sephiroth would never do anything to alter the one he'd spoken for. She wouldn't be who she was now, the girl, soon to be woman, that he fell in 'love' with. Everything that they'd been through together, that had brought them to this point. Together-there was no longer any separation. It was like they'd always been a pair...that 'perfect' fit, though sometimes the pieces got shaken, or the gears started grinding the wrong way. Every machine needed a tuneup once in a while.

Heh. Nice metaphor there. And the mental images, too...

Pulling away from the still awestruck Kira, Yazoo had decided it was time to take his leave for the day. Progress was slow, but it would come. And there had been progress today. Hopping back off the bed, he'd turned around to give her that trademark smile of his. Again, the flush to her cheeks, and the jolt of her heart. My, my. Was all this stress really good for Kira, in the long run? Perhaps he shouldn't have been encouraging it.

But...it was so much _fun_.

"I'm glad you're feeling better." Did he mean this bit? Nowadays he would, obviously. But back then, it may've just been another scripted instance, in which the words flowed from his mouth like the sweetest toxin. "Maybe next time, I'll bring you another book." So earnest and helpful. So flawless. And that look in his eyes...the roll of his voice...it was oh so deadly, but oh so delicious. Even in his somewhat younger years, he'd still been the charmer, luring in his prey with all those pretty features and pretty motions and pretty actions and pretty words.

So much beauty...and, it was all a sham. A performance to drag in and keep close, keep caged, keep prisoner...and eventually kill, in their own special way. Not every death was bloody. Even with his pristine appearance, he couldn't guarantee that once the inner layer came out to play, Kira wouldn't turn tail and push him away. He couldn't be so sure that she wouldn't turn out like one of those parasites in the public: kissing his feet until they discovered the blood trail.

Or, she could just be a power hungry little brat, of the worst order. Someone who hadn't learned much from her life experiences, unlike her Sister. Perhaps she'd been conditioned and brainwashed about the outside world's 'pecking order', like so many of their peers. He'd known even then, from when Kyra wasn't yet in the higher academy, that there were things called 'bullies' in her current learning institution-and many others, too. Beyond the confines of educational facilities. More of these greedy moochers, with rotten attitudes in need of a serious wake-up call.

The male could only begin to imagine, from his Sister's occasional descriptions of punks who tried to start crap, how they would've reacted to beings like them wandering among their halls. The reactions they got on the outside in present day would've been tame compared to that. Well, if the spawn really had no fucking clue, for whatever reason, that it wasn't a good idea to mess with them...

In that present moment, Yazoo's gaze darkened and his eyes narrowed. Most likely, they would be targeted. That's usually how it seemed to work: those who stood out were picked on, because there were more who didn't, and 'different' equaled 'bad'. It would've required him and his brothers revealing to the little ingrates just what exactly they were capable of.

The heat was still present upon him, the raw, hungry desire gradually building up in him the more he thought over things. But he couldn't stop himself; couldn't resist tempting fate, toeing the line, playing with fire. He didn't care if he got burned, he'd still do it again. The release was so very _good_ , when it finally came about.

So very good indeed...the only problem with it was that it could be better-namely, if the object of said desire were actually present with him. Then maybe he wouldn't have to look like an idiot when he wound up jacking off in his room. What, was he putting on a show for an invisible audience? Here's hoping that Shinra never took any of those 'extensive camera ideas' into serious consideration-as amusing as it was to think over, it would ultimately be a dangerous idea, if those personal tapes were to get out...also, invasion of privacy much?

Not that he was entirely against peeping, mind you, just...for the right reasons. He wasn't an overly subtle bastard to begin with, at least physically; his words tended to be more on the tauntingly elegant side, while stealthily mocking at the same time. He had no boundary issues, so if he wanted to be in your space, he was. And there wasn't really anything you could do to stop it; it was him, all him, to want to interject and comment, remind everyone that he was still around, with that sharp gaze and calculating mind. Even as he followed the human commands in personal interaction, he was still who he was. Everyone could either accept it, or well...

A quiet little chuckle. There weren't very many who had defied his way of doing things. And if they had, they didn't keep it up for very long.

 _Different_. He was different. Kira was different. Everyone around them in this environment was different. But, did that common thread, unusual as it was...really provide such a connection? And could their differences learn to co-exist with one another? Maybe...Kira could even learn to like his differences. He certainly didn't have any reason to hate hers. It wasn't like she'd asked to be born that way, just like he really would've preferred to not have an existence which required Hojo and his damn tests and observations.

Hmm, this could actually work. Reaching out to her through those differences-to the rest of the world, anyway-that were shared between them. A little tricky, but it made enough sense, in his head. At least he wouldn't have to make mindless chitchat about the weather, or the paper, or what the company was up to.

He wasn't sure if Kira really understood the power she had in the situation here, being a Princess to such a prominent and prolific organization. Aside from the issues in her head, she was an ordinary girl; her expressions were interesting to note, but on the whole there was nothing truly out of place. Thankfully, she hadn't had something like, oh, outrageously loud and long spiky red locks, that assailed his eyes every time he looked at her. Not dropping any names here, but...

And she certainly didn't act like a Princess. Princesses had a particular image, cultivated in the collective mind of the masses. It was expanded upon, but there was often not much difference from their previous incarnations. They were infallible. They were meant to shine, to hold together the masses. To eventually grow up into Queens, strong women that their subjects could take pride in. Someone who could lead, with a personable outer face and decent marketability.

No Princess he'd ever heard of had a cracked head, though. Like if a pretty little Wutaian porcelain doll had fallen off the shelf at an angle. She had lived in Wutai, yes? Maybe she'd get the reference.

Huh...pretty. Did he think she was pretty? Was it really an inquiry worth his time? Back then, he hadn't had an answer.

He'd simply headed out the door, calling to her without turning around. "That's right, I'll be coming to see you again. I hope you'll look forward to it." _Because I will,_ his current mind added in mentally, after the memory had started to fade, into the next one.

True to his word, Yazoo returned a couple of days later. And, as promised, he'd actually brought a book. How he'd managed to remember his previous comment about it, he didn't know. It must've had enough of a draw to keep in his mind, until that next visit finally arrived. Enough of a pull with its promise of further elaboration and progress. No matter the reason, he was still grateful for his actions in the current day.

This time, there hadn't been a cry when he'd opened the door-without knocking again, of course-but he'd just managed to catch the soft sound of sheets quickly being disturbed, and a squeak of muffled surprise instead. He'd found Kira, as expected, having risen from the mass of blankets, far more tangled than usual. Her hair was both falling about and sticking up all over the place. She was breathing hard. With the groggy but registered fear in her eyes, Yazoo was rather surprised she hadn't said something to his entrance. Why was she looking at him like that in the first place...?

Drawing nearer, he saw that the sheets were twisted, dragged halfway across the bed to hang over the edge on the other side. The opposite ends were wrapped around Sister dearest. The fog was clearing from her eyes, and Yazoo figured it out: she must've been sleeping when he arrived, and that was why she looked so out of it.

That made sense, mostly, except for the fact...

...that the girl looked like she was about to cry. So scared...she was so very scared-and Yazoo had no idea if it was of him, or something else.

Then, recognition flashed across her face, and Kira turned her gaze away quickly. She was still attempting to fix her breathing, and he could feel her heart pounding, hear the pulse reverberate in his ears. He was still drawing closer, nearer and nearer, eventually having reached the bed where she sat in a huddle. Placing the book at the end, he climbed up once more, to sit with her.

Again, he was resting against the headboard and pillows, though this time the distance between them was shorter. He wasn't looking at her-he could hear a few gulps, and faint hiccups. A couple of times, he saw movement from the corner of his right eye; was she raising an arm to wipe away a stray tear? She was so insistent to hide them from others. For someone who didn't seem very strong or skilled on the surface, he had to wonder about her. Why was Kira so set on keeping her emotions in check, almost denying them, like they didn't exist?

Just like she was trying to detach from everything else...

...like him.

Eventually, after a few more moments, the soft sounds grew completely silent. Yazoo felt a light shift in the mattress and blankets, just as he heard that familiar skip of a heart. Adjusting so that it was a little easier to look at her, Yazoo returned his focus to what he'd set out to do: get inside her.

It was an agonizingly slow process, he had to admit.

As per usual, Kira was looking down at the blankets surrounding her. Her thick, knotted locks fell in her face, hiding her expression from view. She really needed a haircut, or a heavy dose of de-tangler. But that wasn't important. After a couple of moments, she had turned slightly in his direction, to regard his current presence there. That was a step forward, progress from the last time! Yazoo was pleased.

Again, that urge, deep inside of him-clawing, scratching digging, screaming to be satiated. To just say "Fuck it all", and get what he wanted, right here and now: her. But. He. Couldn't.

Oh, that feeling, the one he could never shake away whenever he looked at her, stayed with her, thought of her-it could only be controlled in intensity, and it would never leave him. With all the extra testosterone running through him from the latest treatment given by Hojo, you could damn well bet and win on the fact that it was currently threatening to tear him apart from the heat, the drive, the madness...

...and the tightness, too. Tossing his last shred of care to the wind, Yazoo proceeded to remove the rest of his outfit. As soon as he did, a refreshingly clean sense of freedom filled him, lying among the sheets in nothing at all. It was cooling to the touch, and he liked that. He'd bask in it for now.

Yes, for now. Because eventually, that feeling would leave him. And then, the heat would return, all-consuming and uncontrollable, being starved for so long. And now teased, tantalized, with the images of her from the presentation earlier at the school, all dressed up. In her school uniform, drinking in his room, sitting on his bed. All those extra mementos he had replaying in his mind!

In short: Yazoo was fucking frustrated.

And right now, he had nowhere to vent. He didn't feel like putting his clothes back on, just to go all the way to shoot some targets-no, if he wanted to get rid of this particular urge, he'd have to kill something, kill it good and dead with the power of his sure-shot aim, and Velvet Nightmare. Maybe a few somethings. He needed it to be vibrant and violent, enough to satisfy and fill the monstrous maw in the pit of him. Enough to take away all those images, the ones that would always be cherished, yet remind him of what he couldn't have.

 _ **Yet.**_ Not yet. He couldn't have her _yet_. She still wasn't his. Even with all that had gone on between them, from then until now...

His only other option, currently, was to sit in his room and stew alone, in the nude. All while nursing a hard-on that was was vying quite fiercely to become the next dangerous weapon in his arsenal. Lovely. Once more, thank you Hojo! _**Not**_.

So, thankfully there had been that little sliver of improvement on Kira's end. It was certainly an encouraging sight. That's what the younger him had thought at the time, as he'd looked her over.

But, it just simply...wasn't enough.

"Ah-!" He had reached out to her in an instant, cupping her chin in his hand again and tilting her head up. Up, up, until finally he could see her full face, and eyes. As first suspected, they were slightly watery, with that tinge of red. She had been trying to hide her tears, the color to her nose and the occasional sniffle only helped to prove this. She hadn't wanted to cry.

And if she did cry, eventually...she'd be doing it on her own. Cut off from the rest of the world.

"You are sad." It wasn't an observation once uttered, not the way he said it. Even if his voice wasn't harsh, there was a tone that conveyed his point clearly: he wasn't looking for a dispute, he wanted answers. And whether or not she had talked to him before, it didn't matter. She _was_ going to start speaking to him now. He wouldn't allow her to brush him off with her awkward silence, distance and zoning spells.

After all-and this was a trait that carried over to all four of the brothers, from eldest to youngest in the line...

...what they _wanted_ , they _got_. _**Always**_.

Kira's face had now begun to take on their familiar hue, matching the rest of her features. She would get flustered around his touch, yet she wouldn't push him away. Was she just too afraid to attempt anything? Or did she simply...not want to, anxiety notwithstanding? Hey, there was a hopeful thought.

He had started to smile at her then. Perhaps...she liked this more than she was letting on, but some sort of fear wasn't allowing her to recognize it openly. She didn't know what it meant, all these actions and sensations, that was fine. He could teach her what they meant. If she was to be around him, she would learn how to get comfortable, because he wasn't leaving anytime soon.

But so long as she didn't reject them, or him...then it was okay. Everything was okay. Why did he care so much, what was 'okay'? Why was he so insistent upon her liking him, when time and time again he'd claimed that everything was for the mission, and only the mission's sake? Was that 'okay' if she really _did_ wind up liking him?

Those green eyes were darkening once more, clouding over with the potent rush of lust. Heh, how much? _How_ much did she like him?

Slowly, ever so slowly, as he lay upon the now slightly sticky sheets, Yazoo allowed his hand to wander, down along his chest, over the abs, the stomach...to rest flat against his skin. There was about an inch or so of flesh between him and his 'lower half', and his fingers twitched, ever so close. Yet, they were still attempting one last resistance, not sliding any further.

The payoff was sweet, sweet release. Another kind of freedom. But it too, just like the removal of his clothes, was only a temporary relief. It didn't get to the root of things; playing with himself alone in his room was not his idea of a solution. Especially when the feelings would simply return again, and even without the help of extra testosterone. They would build up, offering him those two choices like before, and just like always, it wasn't what he really wanted.

Well, what the hell _did_ he want, anyway?

Right in that moment of the past, he'd wanted her to speak. To properly address him. His smile had softened a touch, as he brought his face close to hers once more. Her breath hitched in her throat-remembering that sound was nearly enough to make him want to scream now-and her heart had begun beating faster, faster, at having him in such close proximity. The red of her tears was slowly giving way to the colors of embarrassment, shock, and...disbelief? Did she really not think this was happening?

"Why were you crying?" Kira had flinched then, at hearing his question; it was apparent that she didn't like being reminded of this fact. Doing her best to seem so tough, even when everything about her said otherwise. Pushing his fingers a little more so into her cheeks, he was now lightly squishing her face. At the time, it had been funny, and quirky to him. Amusing, to manipulate her features so. Now though, it was only serving to stoke the flames further. Why couldn't he be with her right now-?!

"Ki-ra..." Younger him had spoken with that low, sing-song melody to his voice, that had made her freeze. At the same time, he'd brought his other hand up...to lightly bop the tip of her nose with his finger. He hadn't been expecting her to make a little scrunchy whine, almost like a verbal pout. Oh shit, those sounds-he didn't know which was worse, her voice or her body. All of it, most likely.

Whatever the mix, it was driving him up the goddamn wall! Someone could very well happen upon him here a bit later, only to find him up on the ceiling like some kind of naked, web-less human spider. Clutching at the plaster, leaving more marks as he'd climb higher and higher.

Removing his hand from her face, it was now resting on the blanket surrounding them. The other still held her chin, thumb brushing gently over her left cheek.

He still remembered noticing then, in that instance...the faint lines on that side of her face. The scratchiness that he had noticed before in the morning shadows. They weren't shadows at all. Incredibly faded, narrow lines-but they were there. Those weren't normal to have; they looked like they'd been made with something thin, and sharp. The fact that they'd left behind some sort of an impression, in his perfected eyesight with full focus, was enough to catch his attention-and question their existence. They had escaped his eye the first time around, but not now. She couldn't hide them here.

As his eyes drifted lower, to her throat, he noticed a few lines there as well, these a little clearer. They were solid and prominent up close, more than the ones above. Had he not gotten a look at her neck in the visit before, either? How unusual. Such details one could notice with proper eye contact. But they had made him tense up, at the implications of their presence.

Had someone...tried to go after her before?

"U-Umm..." That was when the soft, shaky voice had reached his ears. He'd perked up then, and even in the current moment Yazoo was relishing the recollection, of when she'd uttered her first words to him. He'd drawn back, letting go of her face at last, and kept the inquiry as to where the scars had come from for another time. He didn't want to overload her here; let her start filling in the conversation, instead of him always leading the way. It was a good method to give her some social experience, right?

Eagerly, he'd awaited the rest of her reply. He kept his expression calmly inquiring, to encourage her to go on and not scare her off with too much interest. What would she have to say here?

"I...I-I-I..." Kira had been trying so hard, so hard not to stutter and fumble before him, in a desperate attempt to get the words out. Yazoo had almost felt a bit of sympathy for her there; being so fluid with his spoken word, it was unusual to imagine having to go without such skills. Then and now, his opinion hadn't changed: he wouldn't be able to live in such an existence.

To not be able to mess with people's heads, whenever he wanted, either out of irritation or just simple boredom. He could do it, and he liked doing it, too. So, what do you think would keep happening here?

Yeah. _Thought_ so.

Kira was starting to lower her gaze once more, obviously losing confidence in her ability to speak. It was both troubling and frustrating to watch and experience. She could understand words, but she couldn't say them herself? What the hell was that? Who on this miserable Planet had been raising her?

Oh, right. A lot of 'someones'. Well, allow him to be the first, to put it bluntly: they'd fucked her over, big time. Even Shinra had been better at giving them a tolerable life, its flaws aside. Just how much would he have to dig through, to reach his objective, his target? How deeply would he have to worm his way in, until she actually trusted him enough to have a damn conversation with?

"Kira." He had grabbed onto her shoulders then, giving her a little jolt. But it did get her attention as she, although haltingly, attempted to raise her head. Her gaze was half trained on him, half detached. But he paid it no notice. He would get her to look at him, without having to actually move her. He'd make her want to, more than just through words.

One hand had lifted, to gently pat at her messy mop of tangled brown locks. Again with the gentleness. Where was it all coming from? Kira had flinched, at both the movement and touch. Her face was scrunched up with worry, eyes shut tight. Did she think that he was going to hit her? She hadn't done anything truly stupid, she was only a slow learner. But she was putting forth some sort of effort, and he wouldn't fault her for that. It was more than the rest of the population beyond the walls of this company put out on a regular basis.

He just had to keep playing teacher, to this 'special' student of his. His pupil. For whatever reason, this thought had sent a zip of thrilling butterflies-that's what they called them, right?-soaring through his rib cage.

Yazoo had wondered at the time, how much work would this really require? Would the lessons be completed shortly, or would it take longer to get through the courses? How amusing, him as any sort of instructor! But, it was a nice change of pace, and he wasn't objecting to it-better than just sitting in his room, or wandering the upper levels of Shinra or hell, even causing trouble to others-yes, that wasn't the only point of his life, he had more to him than just being an asshole! He was well-rounded.

This was new. It was fresh. It was puzzling. It seemed to be a good source of temporary entertainment.

All he had to do was humor her, playing the role of concerned older Brother, until she finally gave in and bent to his will. Oh, what a lovely thought indeed; it still was, even in the years that had passed since then. How else could he bend her...

...and hopefully not break her again? Kira had enough problems as it was. He didn't want to be another one added to the long list. Not out of consideration, but out of the fact that it would be detrimental to his cause. Right. That sounded right. It had seemed right to him at least, back then.

"Why are you so afraid of me?" The effect of hearing his words, and seeing the expression on his face, must've been some kind of combination, because she was now looking at him full-on, with another strange emotion reflected in her eyes. So many layers to her...like the petals of a rose when not in bloom. He had to get her to live in the sunlit world, like the rest of them.

Well, most of them. Him and his brothers at least, they straddled the line between light and darkness. Sometimes, they'd cross over completely, taking a piss on the divider between them, and walking away to get into some 'mischief'. A nicer way of phrasing things, even while rather crude.

Back then however, in his younger days, Yazoo had been tethering on that same division line, doing his best to accomplish his goals, without letting his true nature and intentions surface. Finding out that he was just using her for an adrenaline rush was probably _not_ the best result to have happen-if she wasn't screwed up enough already, that would add on a whole new level of insecurity and self-doubt. She had plenty of that as it was, and then some. She didn't need any more. She had enough, more than enough.

Bringing his hand down from her head, Yazoo had begun stroking her cheek lightly, instead of gripping or squeezing. She shuddered at his touch, skin flushing under his leather glove. But she'd still been looking at him dead-on, not even seeming to blink. It wasn't a zoned-out stare, either; the interest was there, she was hanging on his every word. That last question may have resonated, in some way. Was that a good sign? He chose to interpret it as such. And, once again, luck was on his side.

No, not luck-he didn't need any of that. He had more than enough talent to pull it off on his own, he didn't need the help. His proclivity to pick out the right options instinctively hadn't failed him yet.

What, he'd never claimed to be humble. Don't look so surprised.

His voice had sounded soft and silky, unobstructed in any way. It could've even been described as a slight murmur in tone, not auditory range. A purr? Kira had understood his words perfectly, she could read it on his face, he hadn't tried to hide it then. "I'm not going to hurt you."

In the still of his room, Yazoo felt his hand clench unconsciously against the skin of his lower abdomen. As stiff as he was-and damn, but that was almost painfully so-he would not allow his touch to wander any further. Why he was denying himself, he couldn't quite fathom. Perhaps it was the struggle between his physical desire, and his logical, rational mind. The one that reminded him, over and over again, of what would happen if he kept encouraging these thoughts and feelings. They'd just come back in full force, with a vengeance. And he never did plan for what he'd wind up doing the next time, just to keep himself grounded.

'Reasonable', seemingly reasonable, his mind. Ha, what a load of bull. Why it was so insistent on giving him blue balls as an answer to his problems, he'd never know.

 **A/N: So ends another Chapter in this slow, sordid tale. Now Yazoo has learned a few new things about his little Sister-but for every step taken forward, more questions and mysteries arise. He's certainly got his work cut out for him, heh. Just what sort of past did Kira experience, to wind up so tightly wound and scarred? Will Yazoo ever be able to find all of his wanted answers? Or will Kira forever remain a shattered basket case? How can one be so scared, yet so insistent on holding back the reactions? That's what Yazoo wants to know.**

 **Hopefully, someone or other out there is enjoying this. It was mainly a good writing exercise and storytelling experience, mixed w/some experimentation. I don't expect this to be popular, but so long as people somewhere are amused, I'm happy. Kind of excited w/this latest update-it's right before I head out for my yearly convention. This year, I'm actually cosplaying our dear middle child, and I'm hoping it goes well. Glad I get to post this before then-it's a little treat to all of you, in my joy. As always, feedback is welcomed, encouraged and appreciated.  
**

 **Next time: More first experiences. And, a new experiment? What does Yazoo have in store for Kira? Until then, take care everyone.  
**


	5. Once

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', 'Bleach' or 'Jigsaw Girl'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami, Tite Kubo and the Toadies. I only own my OC and this fanfiction. Thank you.**

Now, Yazoo had started turning and semi-crawling towards the book he'd left at the foot of the bed. Just as his hand had grasped the end of the hardcover upon the sheets, a shaky but louder voice than usual, began addressing him. It was soft in volume, but a little high in pitch. Halting but discernible, if one were to actually listen...or just be addressed. All these things fit together well, for someone like her.

Sweet. She had sounded sweet, to his ears. It was the same today.

"I-I-I'm sorry..." There she went, apologizing again. At least she wasn't crying it this time, she just sounded guilty. Wait, what? Looking back at her, he'd seen that her head was bowing low, before turning its focus up to him once more. Her hands were clasped tightly together, as if she were...asking for forgiveness?

Why would someone like _him_ be forgiving someone like _her_ for some _thing_ , when she hadn't even done anything wrong to him in the first place?!

Her face was red in the cheeks, though the color in her nose and eyes was fading. She'd managed to regain enough control of herself by this point that she was no longer peering at him with a watery gaze. That was one more good sign here. "I-I didn't...mean to...to push you away..."

She'd been fighting so hard, so hard to get these words out, even if they didn't quite make sense to Yazoo then and now. She hadn't even reached out to touch him yet, and aside from her silence and stunted growth in the adaptation and socialization process, there was nothing she'd done that really bothered him. The few things he may have mused on were barely blips on his radar; they were minor issues he could easily forgive someone like her for.

But why did she want his forgiveness to begin with? What sort of crime did she think she could've possibly committed? And where...where was this drive coming from? To learn more, discover more, of this awkward girl with the woeful eyes and battered personality, possibly physical as well?

He'd had to keep convincing himself, that it was all for the sake of having something else to do, to break the monotony. Yazoo had gotten too used to things the way they were; she was someone new, and therefore worthy of investigation. Especially since no one else had seemed to get this far with her, not even Kyra-and she'd been the first one to whom Kira had responded. Why was there a struggle here over this, anyway? Why the hell did he need 'convincing'?

Kira had started to fiddle with her hands, and had finally broke the shared stare, though her head wasn't down this time. She was merely glancing to her side. Did she have something to hide? "I was sleeping, and, well, umm...I h-had a...a..." Jeez, why was it so hard for her to speak up? Who had taken out her communication skills _this_ badly?

"A what, my dear?" By now, Yazoo had already made his way back up the bed, to sit before her once more. His green eyes had been trained on her with such an intensity that she most likely wouldn't have been able to keep up visual contact for very long, even if she'd tried. That would probably take a bit of time to learn how to manage.

As usual, the jump. That twitch in her shoulders, like a quick shiver or brief shock. Not only was she troubled in the language department, she also wasn't good with people asking things of her, in general.

But wasn't that normal? People were always asking things of one another. And why shouldn't he? To have some sort of interest in those close to you, occasionally finding out as to their status-wasn't that the proper course of action? He had experienced that, with both his other Sister and Brothers. One of the few bits of conversation that he was able to tolerate, though he certainly didn't act eager about it. He was just willing to put up with it-he could glean some interesting info that way, so it served him well enough.

Once more, that rosy hue to her cheeks, as Kira finally attempted, yet again, to regain eye contact with him. He still didn't know why she was so swift to blush. Was she that scared...or elated?

"A nightmare." The words came out with such a heaviness that Yazoo could almost see them, drifting sluggishly on the air like ten-ton weights with too-small wings. It wasn't like he didn't know what nightmares were. He'd learned about them when even younger than he'd been then. It was a rare occurrence for them, to dream much in the first place, or to remember them when they did.

But nightmares were basically images strung together by the subconscious. They brought into one meld a person's greatest fears, worst memories, and any other sort of crazy torment or obstacle from the darkest depths of a sick mind. Trashed, lost and strung-out. A bit of a wordy descriptor, but hey, it served its purpose. Also, note: the name of his Weapon. He brought with him a most beautiful, sultry nightmare indeed...a wonderful hand to die under.

Now his curiosity was peeking out, wanting to play with this new series of unfolding events, and see where it led to. The eventual conclusion.

Kira was not happy with crying, that much was obvious. So, whatever she'd been dreaming of...it must've been quite scary, for her. That would be something to take note of, if he could've found out what it was about. The girl had managed to get this far in explaining herself; perhaps another little push was in order here?

By then, Kira had unclasped her hands, and had been toying with the edge of a blanket beneath her. Her expression seemed a bit tight-lipped, drawn. She was looking away, par for the course, so Yazoo had had to bring her back to that present moment in time. "A nightmare, I see." His eyes had flashed, as Kira had gazed back at him. His words...no matter how uncomfortable this situation may've been for her, it was still apparent that Yazoo had held some sort of sway here. Even today, that was still the case. No matter if she was terrified, she kept on allowing herself to take that chance, and find out what he had to offer.

Another start. This time, Yazoo had taken her left hand in his right, thumb rubbing one of her knuckles softly. How had any of this been possible? Even with all that he was capable of, he'd continued to surprise himself with how far his abilities seemed to reach. Of course, he wasn't really verbal over it-mostly, he kept the heavy gloating and preening victory dances locked deep inside himself. "What was it about?"

He'd watched as a slow, silent gulp had gone down her scarred throat, like she wasn't sure how to reply. Was it another instance of not remembering the dream? He could understand that, but whatever it had been about, it was enough to carry over into the waking world. After a few more moments of silence, Kira had spoken, softly but amazingly, without the stutter for once. It was like she'd rehearsed the words, so perfectly again and again in her head.

"It's not important...you don't have to worry about me." He could suddenly hear the tiredness to her faint tones, and wondered if she'd meant not to be concerned about the dream...or over her. One more confusing piece of the puzzle to put together here.

A squeeze of her hand, not to hurt, just to attract her focus. That smile had been on his face, inviting her in. He'd enjoyed immensely the look to her features-the panic seemed to be lifting a little, she was more hesitantly wary than just full-on freaked out. More progress. He'd uttered the words without a second thought, and had to marvel once more, at concocting these lines on the fly.

"But if I didn't worry about you...I wouldn't be a very good Brother." He chuckled softly, this time reaching with his free hand to brush Kira's bangs away from her eyes. Another flinch, but with every instance of contact, the anxiety to her actions seemed to be lessening, bit by bit. She was jumping not out of fear...it was unfamiliarity. To put it in simple terms: she didn't know how to respond.

A human. A human girl, no less, not much younger than he, who had no idea how to use or handle emotions and outbursts. How was this possible?

Sure, there were the cretins like Hojo, who popped up like vermin every once in a while-vermin you couldn't dispose of, no less. But Kira shared absolutely no traits with the mad doctor that he could see, thankfully. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so keen to stick around with her as long as he had. So far, she was proving her worth-and it wasn't even anything complex or difficult to pull off, it was simply talking, expressing, and eye contact! He could do those things in his sleep! Barring the fact that sleeping with his eyes open was one of the few talents he had yet to achieve. Oh, well. The meaning was there, loud and clear.

Just like a big Brother, looking out for his little Sister as they walked hand in hand, him leading her down the clean, tidy path...and deep into the darkness and depravity of the woods. What _would_ little Sister do, if he tried to keep her there with him, in the shadows of his heart...?

Yazoo had started chuckling. His hand had left hers, and he'd turned once more to retrieve the book brought over how long before. She'd blinked when he'd held it out to her, smile in place as he'd finished his earlier statement.

"Now would I?"

That tension, building up in him like a writhing, raging storm of pure fuck and havoc. Damn it, he couldn't hold back for much longer-! Unless those feelings settled down some and soon, even just a pinch... In the present day, the male was struggling to keep the fantasies and urges in check. All while his true face screeched at him to just give in and accept his fate. He could fight all he wanted, but it still wouldn't drive out the demons that were haunting him like the worst kind of ghost.

Things had steadily progressed from there, as a couple more visits were exchanged between the both of them. Just like that second time, the next times also consisted of him bringing her new books, to swap with the old ones-so long as she'd finished them, of course. Amazingly, she had. At least, he'd hoped she did; it wouldn't have been nice to find out that she was lying to him.

Unless...she just wanted the attention from him, the visits, all the bizarrely scripted 'care' he had come up with for this situation. It was going far better than he'd expected.

During the next three visits, Yazoo had been able to get the girl to speak in those instances to him. Only about how she was doing, and how she'd liked the books he had left for her each time. This served to further his interest. Kira could ultimately sum up each of the stories she'd read, even if it was in limited speech. With every instance of calm questioning and hesitant words, the response and reaction grew more pronounced, from Kira.

Kira, Kira, Kira. Dearest _Kira_.

He'd kept up the physical contact as well, determined to get her acclimated to his presence and presentation. Not 'comfortable'-comfort was on her to find. He was merely showing her what this new life would consist of, regularly enough: an older Brother who thought of her often, and was more than willing to share these thoughts with her, in the form of words, touch and sensation. As stated prior, boundaries were non-existent for someone like him. Hell, maybe some would even call him a deviant, disturbed, or indecent.

But he wasn't. He really wasn't. Not here, any way. All he wanted was to have a nice distraction in his life, until like in Kyra's case, the regular routine with the siblings of Shinra would resume. One more was added to the flock of stray sheep, trying to find their way. But they weren't always listening to the shepherd...and that suited him just fine, if not anyone else. He didn't need any instructions on how to live. If he was a sheep, then he'd be a black sheep.

But wait a minute...all of them wore black.

...well, damn. There went that idea. Fuck it; everyone else were the sheep, while _they_ had their own free will to do whatever and act however they pleased. Kira was included in that of course, it seemed like she really had a lot of...stuff, and reasons, to actually be viable to find a new way that suited her. Her current state of affairs, title notwithstanding, was not exactly something to be indulged upon. Not if he wanted the real fun to begin.

They'd steadily begun to grow closer, to the point where Kira could speak short sentences to him without much struggle-she still had trouble always looking up, though. And the words weren't complex, the answers were still quick and simple. They hadn't yet had a full conversation, but that was okay, he didn't mind taking it 'one step at a time'.

It sounded delightful, as he'd imagined eliminating the various personifications of obstacles that had been in his way, stomping them flat under the heel of his boot. He didn't want to waste bullets on formless phantoms, he could destroy them single-handedly.

Then, a breakthrough.

Things had begun routinely enough. It had been a normal visit, like always. Yazoo had done the book exchange, but this time, he'd brought a special treat up with him: a cool can of soda.

Kira really hadn't been out and about the building yet, much less the city itself. She probably hadn't had one in a while. But, she'd simply stared at the drink in wonder, taking it in her hands timidly-and nearly dropping it on the bed from the sudden chill to her fingers and palms. That had amused him for a few seconds. He'd gone ahead and, with that same unreal grace from before, proceeded to open the can. A little yelp at the fizz, but other than that, nothing. He'd watched her enjoy the first couple of sips, smirking to himself at the look of shock and disbelief that had now crossed her features. What else was new to her here? A light chuckle escaped his lips. "Oh? You've never had soda before? That's a new one."

That sudden throb, that solid thud of her pulse, as Kira's face had gone pink while looking down at the can in her hands. Yazoo wasn't sure if his teasing, while meant to be harmless, had upset her because she didn't get the joke. Not everyone could read his tone, and that had only been an off-hand comment, as well. Was this another thing she'd have to learn to accept?

He hadn't been expecting to actually hear a new answer to his jest, however.

"N-No...it's not that..." Yazoo's green eyes had glittered, as he'd dragged his gaze over to the gawky, twitching Reverse Princess, holding her court from atop her mattress, locked in her room. This was her fortress against the world. Very few made it here, though it wasn't out of violence. It was simply...

What? What was it?

Why had he been sitting there hearing the first 'no' come out of her mouth, feeling like he'd just run a marathon and his body was about to collapse...when he'd found out that he'd won? _Had_ he won something here? Sure it was good, but...would she be able to complete the retort properly, or give up halfway through? A bit of tightness in his chest then, at recalling the old intentions and mindset of his younger self. It had been a strange concept to consider, but it wasn't like his existence wasn't already a mass walking horror show exhibit. He wanted to see if she knew how to say 'no'.

If she always agreed with him, flatly, it wouldn't be a challenge at all. And that didn't appeal to him. Still didn't. He needed at least some sort of back-and-forth dynamic; Kyra knew how to be nice and say 'yes', but she also knew how to hold her own and say 'no' at times, too. He wasn't looking to pick fights with Kira, though. No, that wasn't his focus.

What he wanted...was for her to prove that she was now worthy of an interaction he'd started, if she were going to step forward with an opposite perspective. He wanted to make sure if she jumped in...that she could swim. Or float, even. Hell, dog paddling worked too. Of course, there was always the instance of not knowing how to swim...and considering her status up until that point, he honestly wouldn't have expected her to know. If her various guardians hadn't bothered to teach her shit-all of anything else, then why would swimming be any different? That was disheartening, somewhat.

On the other hand, however...this one was proving to be something of a fighter, in her own way. How far that will extended, he had yet to see. Perhaps that drive alone was enough reason to throw her a line? Maybe even jumping in after her, if he were feeling so adventurous and willing to attempt in saving a life as opposed to taking it. Like his usual M.O. Could she get through this altered communications venture by herself?

The shaking. She was shaking so hard, clutching at the bed sheet with one hand, like before. The can was gripped in the other, strong enough to press into the thin aluminum and dent it inwards. But the look on her face...even with the fear, he could spy it, that faint flicker mixed in among the ocean hue: determination. She may not have been the steadiest speaker, but right now, she was obviously going to talk her heart out...just hopefully not in a literal sense. That would have been messy.

"I-I've had-had..." She bit her lip, taking in a deep breath through her nose, before continuing on in her attempt. "I've had...soda, before. A long time ago." A pause, another sentence that had been handled without much resistance. Good, good. Keep it up. Her response was building, and Yazoo had been so desperate to see just what the fruits of his 'labor' had produced. Was this the first seed of influence, taking root in her cluttered mind?

A quiet gulp, another inhale with a hint of tremor. Then, the next part had come tumbling out without any further pause, but quite the burst. "I've had soda before!"

Oops. Now she was blushing again-she hadn't meant to yell at the end of that statement, it had just...happened. She had looked deathly horrified, but Yazoo had taken it all in stride. Her voice had been louder-still with that high pitch and feathery quality, but it had definitely gone up a few notches-however, it wasn't anything like the time she'd been scared senseless by Kadaj, or like when she'd gone off from lack of sleep. It would've surprised anyone else in the room too, as far as progress was concerned...if there had been anyone else but him there.

That was fine, though. He liked it this way. It was better. Then, he didn't have to worry about any nosy, impatient, or just motherly others, getting underfoot in his attempts to figure out the mystery of his newest Sister. And she wasn't finished yet.

"I-I've had it before..." Oh, there went the stutter again. "But, it was-it was..." Her gaze was trained fully on the can below, now resting in both hands. It had left a wet spot upon her thick comforter. He couldn't see her face. Still, he'd been able to make out her words, clear as a bell. That soda must've triggered something in her, something that was solid enough to get her to break her self-imposed-he thought-ban on speaking, and let him know her true feelings on the matter.

It wasn't the most riveting news by the worlds' standards, and he supposed with anyone else, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Oh, you've never had soda in a can? Ha, you're such a weirdo. Moving on.

In her case, though...there was a spark. That flicker of interest, at getting her to start reacting in ways that were different from her past self...ways that would benefit her, and him too, he'd had to add. Humans all acted a certain way, they had core setups and structures that made up the base of who they were, inside both their waking and slumbering mind. All those various emotions and thought receptors, conveying messages throughout the brain, delivering sensations.

Except this one.

How was her brain wired? Was it even wired at all? Maybe it was too tight, about to explode. Maybe the connectors and receptors were all tangled and going backwards. He didn't know, and it both excited and frustrated him to no end. Why couldn't he figure her out? She was just a human, after all...

"It wasn't in a c-can, it was in a bottle. And it w-wasn't anywhere as-as good as this. I-I didn't like the flavor. Th-That's it." Upon finishing the last statement, Kira had proceeded to take another few long gulps of the carbonated, sugary concoction.

She was enjoying his drink, and he'd gotten to hear her speak. Also, although only a minor detail, he'd kept in mind the bit about having had lousy soda outside of a can once before. In her past. In a bottle, to be precise. Well, granted there were bottled sodas here too, but that didn't matter. What sort of a past did poor drinks entail? And what did it have to do with anything that was going on here today?

Everything had contained a purpose, in this exchange. He'd held on to every scrap, from then until now, just in case it somehow tied in with the rest of the fragments he'd collected. That one day...when he'd gotten the pieces of this Jigsaw Girl back together again.

But how? By more pills? Stitching and surgery?

Or maybe just locking her up, keeping her in one place, unable to drift away any longer. Like a bird in a cage. It was sick, but it was an understandable reasoning, in his opinion, for a tricky situation. Of course, he hadn't been referring to physical restraint when that thought had crossed his mind. The first time, anyway.

When it had entered his head however, he'd had to go over it carefully, with a fine-toothed comb. He hadn't been quite sure how to respond to such a thought process revelation. Caging someone in a way where they could never truly leave...where something important of theirs was stolen away, forever binding them to their thief. They could walk all throughout the expanse of this world, and still never be able to stay anywhere but where their 'heart's desire' lay. The entire Planet was a prison for someone who just wanted to go home, back into the arms of someone they trusted.

Someone who would never return what he'd stolen, and would continue taking...as much of her as she had to offer him. Not what she was willing to.

"Well. I'm glad to hear that you like it so much. I'll remember to pick up a new one next time, for you to try." Even now, the memory of the light in her eyes as he'd first passed the can to her tiny hands, and that touch of defiance she'd shown, towards her own handicaps, in order to get out a single piece of dialogue. It chilled him. While not the most thrilling back then, it had left its own impact on things.

Kira had handled her own part in a conversation. A conversation that was a little different from the normal ones she'd just gotten semi-used to having, with a figure who was still something of a stranger to her. That was good, it was something new that she could learn to adapt to and handle.

Of course, there were still the many other things he was learning to deal with, when it came to this quirky little girl.

The next breakthrough happened almost a week after the soda incident. Another visit had passed since then, and no further events had transpired between them. As promised, he'd brought another soda pop from the machine. Once more, that fresh can had been in his right hand, but offering a different taste. How would she take to this?

That wasn't the only thing he had brought with him this time, though. Two other items were clutched in his left hand securely, things that were different from the book he usually carried. This time, he'd decided to tote along a notepad and a pencil. Why? Well, his curiosity had awoken again, you see. He hadn't been able to silence it-truth be told, he hadn't bothered to. He'd wanted to act upon it, so he did. It had been a thought that had popped into his brain, and refused to leave. However, it did not irritate; it fascinated instead.

Kira obviously knew what words were, what was sentence structure and a storyline, the basics of grammar and language. Yet she couldn't hold a conversation to save her life. It wasn't that she didn't understand, far from it. She had been taught that much, what words were and how to put them together.

But had she ever been taught how to truly use them? A momentary pause, in both memory and present day.

So her strength didn't quite lie in her verbal skills right now. But...there were other ways of expressing oneself. And Yazoo-whether or not he would ever use these methods in his work with her-was interested in encouraging them, if only to see and record their existence for himself. Maybe she wasn't as broken as she appeared to be. Maybe there was something 'special', hidden beneath the surface. Something he could take enjoyment and pleasure in unearthing, like a rare artifact. Another accomplishment to his name. Yazoo, the one who 'saved' little Kira. 'Fixed' her. Found and used against her any information he could get his hands on...

"Here." Upon arrival at her room and handing over the can of soda, Yazoo had proceeded to pick up the book he'd left last time-it had been atop a box on the floor to Kira's right. There were quite a few of those in here, actually-her room was not the tidy domain one would expect a Princesses' to be. Dusting off the cover, he'd placed it on her lap-and a jolt here, a flush there-then followed up with the tablet and pencil. Kira had stared at them, transfixed.

She'd held the writing tool in her left hand-wait, left hand? So, she was like them, then? That surge of adrenaline to his system-so many differences, so much in common. And the lines, every single one, were really starting to blur in his vision.

 **A/N: And so ends Chapter Five in this tangled tale of behind the scenes of celebrity perfection. More progress has been made between Yazoo and Kira; bit by bit, the bond grows stronger, and the curiosity deepens. So too does the wound; a captured heart that had no intentions of being so, is quite the fighter. Though in this case, it isn't as yet noticeable to our silky scary Narrator. As a youth, we all bear naivete, towards something or another. Even the most brutal of beauties can tell you that.  
**

 **What is this, though? First books then bad dreams, followed by sweet sugary canned carbonation. Now Yazoo has brought the true written word into the mix. And already things are starting to pick up in another 'interesting' direction. How will dearest Sister respond, now that it's her turn to fully lead the conversation? Is the damage far more extensive than previously thought? Or is something waiting just below the surface, a new twist to turn this tale around on its head one more time?**

 **As always, feedback is welcomed, encouraged and appreciated. As long as someone, somewhere is enjoying my work, I'm happy. We're halfway through this little series now, and gradually, things are starting to build. :3 Next Chapter: Shaky letters, sketchy memories. More progress, and more stumbling blocks. How much can be taken away from one being...and how far do you have to go to win it all back? Is it even possible, or just another bad dream staring you in the face?  
**

 **Take care, everybody.**


	6. I've

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', 'Bleach' or 'Jigsaw Girl'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami, Tite Kubo and the Toadies. I only own my OC and this fanfiction. Thank you.**

Smiling. Was she...almost smiling, for once? That was definitely new. Poised over the crisp top sheet of paper as though ready to go, Kira suddenly flinched, heart skipping and expression instantly dropping. It had happened in a flash; she'd been looking up towards Yazoo with a look of pure horror on her face. In an instant, she had pushed the two items away, and was now breaking out in fresh shivers.

He hadn't understood why she'd done it at the time. Obviously, she knew what paper and pencil were, she'd used them before, she knew which hand was her dominant. And she'd been so willing to try just a second before the shift. Now, she'd been regarding him with the guiltiest look on her face. He couldn't fathom that, either. He didn't want to believe that she could possibly have a phobia of writing. And she hadn't done anything wrong, other than not quite understanding what he wanted her to do. That could be explained, it wasn't a full-on refusal on her end. He was willing to give it another go.

So, he'd placed the items back in her possession once more. Quite literally; after moving them closer, he'd taken Kira's hands in his, and 'guided' them over to where they lay. She hadn't gotten any sort of say in it, nor had she tried to resist any further. Now they were getting somewhere.

"Write." It was such a simple order, yet it had struck a chord with the girl in his grasp. Her heart was racing, and she was trembling as she clutched the two items for dear life. He continued on, wanting to see this fear be overcome. "I know you can do it. You can read books, even if you can't speak."

This time, his hands had found their way to her shoulders, giving them a resolute shake. As she'd dutifully looked up at him in respect towards his call, their eyes had locked. His green cat's eye gaze had searched her, commanding her attention. His words had been clear. "So don't be afraid, write. Write something to me." A flash in his eyes, a shudder through her body. "For _only_ me to read. I won't share it with _anyone_."

Where that possessiveness had been coming from, he'd had no idea then. It wasn't until later that he'd fully figured it out. But that...was not here and now. Kira had seemed to register his words. Had that force of his triggered her response? Was it out of fright that she did this now...or security? Perhaps she felt safe, talking to him and him alone, no matter the form.

What a lovely thought indeed. With a slow nod, she'd carefully arranged the two items on her lap. A few moments of silence, a few long, shaky breaths. Then, she'd begun.

The sound of lead against paper was satisfying to his ears, as he took in the sight of his younger Sister, hunched over and writing away like a maniac. So, she could string something together without a voice. But...would any of it make sense? Just how developed were her skills here? Maybe she wasn't even doing what he'd asked. She could've just been scribbling nothing but circles, for all he knew.

After a few more seconds of scratchy silence, a weird combination indeed, Kira finally ceased with her actions. She sat there upon the bed, unmoving as she stared down at the pad in her lap. The pencil was still gripped tightly in her left hand. It was usually so hard to notice such a feature about anyone-the majority of the people they'd encountered were all right-side users.

When she'd made no move to pass the notes to him, Yazoo had simply decided to take them from her. He could've just asked, but...this was the more entertaining way to go about things. With a careful, deliberate motion, he'd slipped his hand down, to retrieve the notepad from the girl's grasp.

She'd jumped, roused from her deep thoughts, whatever those may've been, and had turned her attention briefly in his directions as he'd raised the paper. When it had reached eye-level, Kira quickly looked away. Had she...been embarrassed about what was written? A sign of things to come, perhaps? Was it that bad? Or was she merely being awkward again?

"Hmm..." As his eyes had carefully scanned over the contents on the page, he'd taken note of the fact that, first off, he could actually understand what was written. Although her handwriting seemed a little rushed, it was within the lines and able to be deciphered. Amazingly enough, she'd also managed to spell everything correctly. Even if the words weren't complex, it was still an accomplishment that she'd managed this much for a first try-at least, with him. Someone else had to have taught her this beforehand.

However...even as the little details had charmed and surprised him, his focus would not be fully deterred from any sort of side dealings. The words on the paper had caught his attention completely. This sentence...it was not what he had expected from her, at all. Not one bit.

" _I'm sorry I'm not normal like the rest of you. I wish I wasn't here."_

Yazoo hadn't had a clue as to how to take that statement then. Now, it was a little clearer, but still...its true meaning eluded him. Back in his younger years, these two sentences had been more than enough to set his mind alight with a whole new slew of questions. He didn't even realize the notepad dropped from his hand, to rest once more upon the bed. Kira wordlessly took notice of this, however. Sometime while he'd been lost in his own thoughts, she'd crept over and scooped it back up into her arms, before shuffling away to hide once more among the pillows. When she'd started writing again, he'd had no clue.

Normal? Normal? She thought that they were 'normal'? He would grant her that they were relatively well-adjusted and able to keep themselves together on a day-to-day basis, but that was it. Beyond that, there was nothing of a 'normal' semblance to their lives at all.

Her Father owned the largest company in the world, and was determined to own that, too. Her oldest blood-related sibling was being groomed to take his throne, and she plus her twin Sister were to follow the same path, in order to ease President Shinra's mind before he passed on. Her Sister had also been kidnapped with her shortly after birth, and was dumped in a freaky town called Silent Hill, that may or may not have been on Shinra's list of "Looking into further". She was also to be engaged to his oldest Brother, a perfect being in the majority's eyes-but that was obviously in the future, something his younger self hadn't yet known. It was just a fun addition to note.

And her non blood-related Brothers? Well, just look at them. All three of them were descendants of Mr. Perfect, mentioned up above. They were him, in fractions. While their eldest Brother was away winning wars, they were creeping through the shadows, killing off the rest of the trash out from the spotlight. Even as they flashed a disarming smile to the public, not caring whether or not they could wash away the blood on their shoes. She knew this, or she would know this, soon enough. What part of anything screamed 'normal' to her?!

The question had lingered in Yazoo's mind, a faint scratching tickling his hearing as he'd mused. If this, all of this, was considered normal to Kira, then...

...just what the hell had she been witness to before? Today, he still didn't have an answer. Normal. This was _normal_ to her. And she was upset that she didn't fit in. Well, that's what she'd thought, anyway.

Aside from the issues with her health, physical or otherwise, he hadn't noticed any sort of true disruption in the flow of things at the company. He was certainly being amused, and it wasn't like others here didn't have their own quirks as well. The homicidal tendencies, the abnormal strength, appearance and speed, the heightened intelligence, the ridiculously high social status...as far as he was concerned, she fit in just fine. It was just a matter of keeping her problems in check, and with each new hurdle overcome, they were gradually drawing closer to that final goal.

How could he convince her of this, though? And what about that second sentence too?

"I wish I wasn't here." What could that have possibly meant? If she didn't want to be here, as in here at Shinra, then why hadn't she fought more, or tried to run away? And why would she be worried about 'being normal' if she'd wanted to leave in the first place? That didn't make any sense. Why did she wish to be gone? What human would ever wish for such a concept to begin with? It was just so...so strange to consider. The only real ways to not exist, were to either never be born...

...or to die.

 _No_. Kira may've been gloomy and odd, but she wouldn't be so far gone as to wish such a status upon herself. Nobody would ever desire this to happen to them-he certainly didn't, so why was he even debating it in the first place? Maybe weaklings in war would end their lives, but not him, and definitely not someone of the goddamn Shinra lineage. What point would she have for such thoughts to begin with?

There was another more sensical reason here, something that was eluding him and his sharp gaze. Maybe she didn't want to be here, as in here in front of him...? But why? Was she so ashamed that she couldn't even look him in the eye? What was she so sad about? Why were they 'normal'? Where was she coming from with this?

If Yazoo hadn't caught the skip of a heart just then in his hearing, he wouldn't have even remembered that he'd been in Kira's room. Coming back to that moment, he'd finally picked up quite clearly...the sound of more scribbling. Wait, scribbling? That was when he'd realized that the pad was gone.

And Kira was using it again. Did she have something more to say?

It had happened before he'd even had the chance to consider his decision. With a fluid lean and a snatch, he'd grabbed hold of the tablet in Kira's hands. But taking it was another story entirely. Kira had let out a yelping cry, using all of her strength-oh my, that was a bit of a pull there, not bad-to keep him from seeing what it contained. The words fell from her mouth with terrified pleading.

"P-Please! Please don't!" She was clinging to the notebook as if for dear life. There, Yazoo's curiosity had been fully piqued. She hadn't fought like this the first time he'd grabbed the papers; she'd been startled, nothing else. That was 'normal', for her. What could she have possibly written down that was so horrific? Was it something naughty? No, that didn't seem to fit someone like her.

Whatever it was, he'd been determined to find out. With a tug and smile that were both just a little sharper than before, he'd finally gotten the book loose from the girl's clutches. Kira had let out a soft whimper, eyes widening as she turned away quickly, covering her head and face. Well, she didn't really need to block the latter any further, her hair did that just fine. Her reaction only served to urge his desire on. Expression now cool as always, Yazoo flipped the top page over.

What he saw however, was a complete 180 from what he'd been expecting. There were no more words to be found here. And nothing explicit, or questionable. No, what graced his eyes here was something far more familiar...and oddly welcomed here, too.

A picture. She hadn't been writing any further; Kira had chosen to sketch instead. Why, he couldn't fathom. He knew then that she and her Sister both possessed the drive to draw, at least. But why would she start doing it here, in this situation? Had he somehow...triggered the response in her? She hadn't stolen the tablet from him, he'd have felt that and again, it wasn't her M.O.

But what, then? Had she just been bored? With those ever watchful, chilling eyes, Yazoo had scanned over the image in silence. For a beginner's piece, it...wasn't that bad.

Obviously, like her Sister Kyra, they were no pros. They were twelve, for crying out loud-they still had quite a few years to go honing their craft. But at least there was a craft to hone. They had that potential, that raw energy, conveyed through their work. There was something more there. Inside, he'd been wondering if this was a potential third channel of communication. Verbal, written and...drawn? Interesting.

The picture was its own little mystery. Although Yazoo could tell what it was supposed to be, he had no idea as to why it was there. He was faced with a ghostly young girl, a faint presence etched in lead. Not scary, just lost. Her body was writhing upwards as she grew from the ground. That's what he'd assumed anyway, seeing all the flowers at her feet and the rock behind. A pair of wings graced her back. On the left was an angel's wing; to the right was a bat's. Hmm...the concept of light and dark, perhaps? That was a strange thing to draw, for someone so young. Maybe she'd simply seen the detail somewhere else, and had decided to copy it in her own work?

There was nothing more to the image. It was shaky, and the shading-what little he could find-was inappropriately angled, sometimes too thick, and at others not visible enough. The dimensions on the wings were all wrong, and they weren't even spread out the proper way. The bat wing, in particular, was bent in on itself.

The girl-plant also looked rather awkward as she rose from the ground. Her head was too big for her body, rendering her cartoon-like in proportions. And had Kira attempted to make it look like morning mist by cutting off parts of her lower half, the closer she drew to the ground? The figure didn't even have feet! Had she just gotten lazy there? Other areas were erased completely, missing since she hadn't gotten the chance to finish the things she'd wanted to. Truly, this was the handiwork of a child.

But, it was from a child who had obviously put some sort of thought into this mash-up. Where it had spawned from, he couldn't begin to fathom. Had he really been out for that long in his own head? He also didn't know why Kira had been triggered to form such a vision, and this coupled with the prior questions about her text were enough, back then, to make his head spin.

Answers. He'd needed answers. He was going to snap without any sort of response to these parts of progress. Since there was nothing left to take physically from the girl, Yazoo had chosen to regard her with new light and inquiry. Kira was still huddled up in that tight little ball, arms over head and face obscured by that mess on her head. Oh, he wouldn't be able to get through to her like that. Creeping closer, he'd put his plan into action.

The bed had shifted, as Yazoo proceeded to sit beside his cowering sibling. He could still remember it like it was yesterday; placing the notepad on his lap before reaching out to gently brush the hair away from her face. Then, carefully bringing her hands down from that defensive position. He'd received quite a few jumps and whimpers for his trouble, though this time she didn't fight back. Now, all he'd had to do was get her to look at him.

This was something that still lingered as a problem today, but in more ways than one. In the present, Yazoo had to scoff to himself, under his breath in the figurative tomb that was his room.

Kira's gaze had been cast down, to the far left; her eyes did not reach his, even as he continued to hold her there in place by her hands, searching her intently. Neither side knew what was going on inside the other's head, though if they had...oh, who knows what would've, could've happened. Would it have been quite as memorable as this? Would things be moving more smoothly, or worse than before? Perhaps this pace was ultimately for the best.

With a slow rise, the pad appeared in Kira's vision. Yazoo had been holding it up, regarding her with that stare. That patented look, both frightening and disarming. It was all in the thrill of letting down one's defenses, to something so beautiful and enrapturing...yet quietly ominous. What exactly lurked beneath the surface...? His tone had been clear.

"You drew this." She didn't respond, neither nodding nor shaking her head to confirm or deny his statement. No verbal recognition either, obviously. But this had not deterred Yazoo, as he'd continued on. "I dropped the pad, and you took it, to draw this." Another jolt to her heart. Oh, and there went the tremors again. If he thought about it long enough in the darkness of his room, he could feel the sensation of shivering running through his fingers. Even now, years later.

Then again, Kira would often shake anyways, so...

Still, no reply. This was where he'd dove in for the kill. With one single movement, he'd released a hand, to instead cup her chin. Pressing just so, he'd gotten her head to turn slightly, as well as her gaze. But it was wide-eyed, bulging and terrified. He could see it, that unsettling, sickly wail was waiting to come forth; the sound of failure and rejection. Failure. Rejection. Two things that did not sit well with Yazoo, at all.

In an instant, he'd managed to put out the potential fire...though some sort of spark still remained. "Why?" His tone was softly imploring, yet unable to be ignored. Unusually comforting, but hiding that possibility of betrayal. It was a delicate mixture, and one he'd hoped would fall in his favor, like before. If it worked with everyone else, then it had to work with her, too. As long as he hadn't scared her away completely, he had a shot at moving forwards with the investigation of his new sibling.

The silence had been almost suffocating. Sticky and taut, filling the air around them and ready to fall apart at any given moment. A disturbing sound, at least for most; as though one's neck were being snapped like a twig. Kira had sat there, regarding him with a stare that bordered on a nervous breakdown. Was she being overwhelmed here?

Well, join the club. Even if he'd been cool on the outside, Yazoo had been seething and squirming within, dying for resolution and personal satisfaction. He'd asked his questions, made his intentions clear, and brought in his side of the contact; now, it was on her to acknowledge him and provide a suitable reply. But so far, all he'd been receiving were more twitches and shakes. The pounding of Kira's tell-tale heart rang out in his ears, through his head.

Thud-thud-thud. Thud-thud-thud. Thud-thud-thud. Thud-thud-thud. Skipping, like a stone across water. She was so close to him, still within his grasp. He could've reached out, played with her hair. Maybe dragged his fingertips along her cheek, tracing the outline of the bone beneath. The path that those thin lines mapped out in her soft flesh. She was so resistant, yet so scared. Which way could he possibly push her here? If he frightened her too much, she'd never open up. But having been caught drawing had terrified her, too. He had to get her to weigh the differences in fear, and pick one over the other.

Hopefully, the progression forward would be worth the struggle.

Close. He'd leaned in ever so close, Kira's startled gaze drawing nearer in his vision. When his lips had just passed her face, to stop beside her ear-what he could see of it anyway, from under the hair-Yazoo had proceeded to let out a soft sigh. The warm air had just barely grazed her skin, but nevertheless, she'd shivered. Kira was at a loss as to his actions, almost as much as he was. Almost, since although he may've been making them up on the fly here, he was putting them forth, and getting them to work for him.

Then, the whisper. That youthful purr, a sultry verbal pout with a hint of hurt. "Oh, Kira..." That sound, like a bird with a broken wing. She couldn't be so cold and cruel. She had to respond to this.

"Why don't you trust me?" And now, the familiar jolt, as she'd finally, hesitantly turned her eyes to meet his. The look on her face had said it all-he had won. He'd triggered that sense of recognition in her; the reminder of what they had been through together so far, however miniscule. He was the only one who she'd ever opened up to like this, and it was obvious that while her communicating abilities weren't always functional, she did have quite a lot to say. If she wasn't so scared to open her mouth more often...

Heh.

He'd talked to her. He'd brought her books. He'd brought her soda. He'd helped her as he could after a nightmare. No matter if these things seemed small-to both of them, for their own personal reasons, they held great significance. And Yazoo was going to use that fact to his advantage however he could. She couldn't deny him. Not then, when this had happened, and certainly not now, in the present day. He'd always commanded her attention.

Kira had sat there, still in his grasp. Her heart had continued to race, like cornered prey, but at least the tremors had subsided. She was looking away from him now, and chewing on her bottom lip. The slight motions registered just so against his hand. That's why they were always so torn up. He could already see them reddening angrily from the picking and pulling. That didn't seem very healthy, to be quite honest. Perhaps she'd traded one reaction for another, and this was related to the shakes she seemed so prone to breaking out in. Anything was possible here. Did a verbal response fit under that heading too? He'd come too far now for it to fall through into nothing.

And after a few more moments of emptiness, then a fresh jolt, he'd heard it: those faint, stumbling syllables, as Kira at long last attempted to explain herself. Yazoo knew there had to be a reason, at least something to go with the mishmash of madness that was taking place here. "I-I...I know..."

Feeling his bare hand pressed against his stomach in the present day, Yazoo's memories drifted and languished among the details; how he'd allowed his touch to leave her face, though his other hand had continued to hold hers. Small steps. Even as jittery as the words had been, he'd still been able to decipher them clearly.

However, there was no resolution to be found just yet. Holding his tongue, Yazoo had waited for Kira to go on. He wouldn't prompt her for a response every time. She had to learn when to pick it up on her own.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. It was as though he could see each second counting down, the silence continuing to stretch on between them. Yazoo hoped that Kira hadn't been trying to 'check out' of the situation as she was want to do at times, by retreating into herself. He'd asked her a question. And she had begun a response. He may've been stoic, but he wasn't about to let her get away without finishing what she'd started. But when another few moments passed by, with no response, Yazoo realized that some sort of nudge was needed here.

Not verbal, no. That was too easy. Something that would provide the same kick, without being obvious. As he'd sat there, mulling it over, the weight of Kira's hand in his suddenly registered. That's right...he hadn't let go of her fully yet.

Never.

If she'd been looking over at him then and there, she would've seen the slight, smug smirk creeping into the corners of his lips. But she'd simply been boring holes into the comforter with that muddled green gaze of hers. Was she still biting her lips raw? Oh, what a pair of opposites, indeed.

Even in the current time Yazoo was smiling to himself, as with a decent squeeze, he'd roused Kira from her quiet evasion tactics. She'd let out a squeak of surprise, with an undertone of discomfort. His grip hadn't been too forceful-if he'd wanted to, he probably could've broken her bones in one move. But that wasn't what he was aiming for here. Just a little flinch, that faint twinge of potential pain. Enough to remind her that he wasn't going away anytime soon.

No matter what methods she tried to employ, there was someone who was interested in her now. Someone who wasn't going to be chased off that easily, as long as she didn't bore him completely. So far, the reactions had been nowhere near to that. Progress was slow, but it was there. He was willing to keep going, the possible outcome of positive change and eventual control was a good goal to strive towards.

He wasn't trying to encourage her, cheer her on. Not even as he was exposing her to all these new experiences, in an attempt to bring her out of her shell. It wasn't out of any personal benefit to her that he did this. Kira could think of it that way if she liked, but ultimately it wouldn't be true. All he wanted was his satisfaction. A conclusion, after a worthy chase. He was the Hunter, she was the Prey. Eventually, she would settle in as a true member of his clan.

If she could get past this current roadblock, anyway. Nothing could occur so long as she was so walled up.

A few more seconds of silence. Then, that voice, wavering and hesitant. Still there, no matter the softness. His gesture had gotten through to her. "I k-know...that I sh-shouldn't have...that I'm not s-supposed to..." Ah, a clue. Now this had started shaping up into a better answer. She was guilty about something again. Why someone like her seemed to bear so much shame was yet another question, though it was shoved to the side for the time being.

And unfortunately, it had never been picked back up. He still had no idea where the pain stemmed from. Luckily for his past self, it didn't matter. He'd gotten something new to play off of. Why was Kira gloomy about a doodle? Drawing wasn't a crime. Was it the content that she'd produced?

Those green, green eyes of his had stared into hers, lightly imploring but ever intent. An unbreakable spell had been cast, as Yazoo had reached out then, to brush those messy strands away from her face once more with that slow touch. It hadn't been aimed to be tender-he'd needed to see the most of her face. He wasn't fond of talking to a mass of hair. Again, he'd been aiming for a very specific reaction. Without words, he was continuing to coax her on, in order to get what he wanted. He'd seemed so concerned and so caring, and in a way, he supposed he was.

Not out of true heart or kindness. But, his desire to reach that goal, that resolution. That in itself could be considered its own sort of compassion. He wished to resolve things for his own good, not hers. It would mostly just affect her, for better or for worse, in the long run. If only for the sake of progress, Yazoo had wished it to be the former. Still did, though for far different reasons now.

A couple of shaky, shuddering breaths, along with that steady pounding. Yazoo had been focused entirely on his younger 'sibling'. Her and her actions, as she'd prepared to resume her reply. "They d-didn't like it...when I was living w-with them. They t-taught me how, but then..." Her lips were slightly bloodied, painting a unique picture as she spoke. Paired with the cherry hue in her cheeks, it was a sight to behold. Good or bad was undetermined; all Yazoo knew was that he hadn't been able to look away. He'd never seen the blood stains fresh before, only dried...

Another squeeze to her hand. After hearing those past few words, Yazoo's pulse had quickened, just slightly. 'They'. Kira had mentioned a 'they' now. Who was she referring to? She hadn't been living at Shinra since she'd been a few months old; she'd only recently returned. So that possibility was out. Besides, it didn't sound like something anybody here would do, anyway. Nobody ever told Kyra she couldn't draw. Hell, a good portion of the highest floors knew about her penchant towards art and her skills in it. Nowadays, anyway. She'd had five years to hone them, after all.

So, was Kira...acknowledging one of the groups who'd taken her in after the kidnapping? Most likely, she would've been kept under heavy guard while still in infancy. Once she'd been able to walk, they'd probably started shifting her around to the various bases. And since a complete vegetable of a Princess wasn't that great of a bargaining tool-they'd gotten pretty damn lucky with Kyra and Silent Hill-they'd had to have given her some sort of basic care and instruction. So, she wasn't completely helpless.

But that didn't make the ultimate results any prettier. He was the one having to deal with them, nobody else. Since she was his little project of sorts, and he'd been the one spending the most time with her. The others shared residency and blood, while he...shared a special connection. One that somehow ran deeper, for a scared little rag doll. A plus in his favor.

"...th-they took it away." The sudden continuation, without any further prompting, had caught Yazoo's attention instantly, dropping him right back into that moment. 'They' had taken it away? Taken what? Not her ability to draw, at least. Her supplies? Was it that hard to find more? They couldn't exactly take 'Art' itself away from her, either-it was everywhere. That was just ridiculous to imagine. 'They'? Just how many 'They's had done this to her...? Was it just one group, or a handful of them?

The question had seemed a bit too open and vast to cover, and Yazoo had wanted to go on in his inquiries. So, he'd allowed the question of 'Who' to rest, in order to find out the 'What' and the 'Why'. By now, he'd been willing to give Kira a little break. She'd done pretty good making it this far in explaining herself. It wasn't clear in details, and quality could've used some slight improvements. But all in all, it was passable.

Now his thumb had been running slowly over her knuckles. He hadn't let go of her hand yet. The gesture was a prelude, a taste of sweetness before he struck with the cue and spotlight once more. "What did they take away from you, Kira? Why?" The girl's heart had quickened in pace slightly, as he'd addressed her with that utterly entrancing tone. Pleasurable panic, that's what he imagined it must've been like for her. That's what he wanted it to have been, anyway.

Why?

 **A/N: Thus, the end of Chapter Six. More developments, more questions. Things are progressing, yes, but even as they do...the mystery still remains.  
**

 **It's obvious now that Kira is not entirely damaged; her similarities to her Sister have been touched upon here. She may not be a good artist, but she seems to enjoy it. However, she's not so quick to allow herself to do so. Why should something that brings happiness also cause fear? It's apparent that she also understands communication; perhaps her writing skills are better than her verbal?**

 **As usual, Yazoo is taking it all in stride, even as inside, he's constantly speculating and debating. Getting close to his new Sister is proving to be much more of a challenge than he expected. W/every new discovery, so too comes the barrage of inquiries. Just how far will he have to go to achieve his desires? How deep does the rabbit hole run? And will he be able to make it back out? Or, more importantly...will he want to? In due time, in due time...**

 **Once again, feedback is welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated. This story is a bit of a departure for me; I don't usually do OC fic, so...yeah. I'm hoping it's at least passable, and most importantly entertaining. Next time: the conclusion to Kira's little art adventure. More realizations. And, the return of some familiar faces...though not all of them are thrilled to be there. Happy Family Social Time! What fun!  
**

 **Until then, take care, everyone.**


	7. Brought

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', 'Bleach' or 'Jigsaw Girl'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami, Tite Kubo and the Toadies. I only own my OC and this fanfiction. Thank you.**

Kira had seemed to freeze as she'd taken in his words. She hadn't been expecting that, had she? Well, all the better for him, so long as she didn't clam up like before and start shutting down. So much discovered, in just this one visit! He didn't want it to end, not yet. He needed more. Continuing to stroke the back of her hand carefully, Yazoo had kept his gaze trained on her, not allowing her to escape his focus. Another inquiry, thus another reply was expected. And once again, he wasn't always going to be there to prompt her. Kira had to learn this stuff for herself.

A quiet gulp, as though swallowing a large knot. Was that what it was like for her, living in such terror on a daily basis? That didn't sound very healthy or comfortable. She needed to fight back. Finding her words was a good way to start. More pounding, more shaky breathing.

And then, the response. So soft and so frail, that he'd had to lean in close just to catch all of it for himself. But the words struck a chord with him. Wispy as her voice was, Yazoo had felt the touch of cold reality. "S-Starving artists are w-worthless. Especially with i-imaginary art." That was a harsh statement for someone so young to be repeating, and rather oddly poignant. Who'd taught her that? Weren't these meant to be the years in human development, where one was filled with hope and wonder?

Some might call it foolishness or naivete, but to most it was simply 'childhood'. Had he been through that? In the present, Yazoo supposed he had. This had been it, awkward and repetitive as it could be. He'd spent his youth holed up inside Shinra's walls, while the rest of the world continued to turn outside its reach. Back then, he'd still been looking at things rather clinically.

"Starving artists are worthless. Especially with imaginary art." It sounded so cryptic. Like another riddle, being presented to him without any explanation or further instruction. He was simply left to his own devices, either figuring it out gloriously, or giving in out of frustration. He followed the first option, if slowly.

Now, the question had been: where to go from here? If Yazoo had tried asking her just what that last phrase had meant, he'd been pretty certain that he wouldn't get any sort of answer. That would overwhelm her, and this visit was close to being over. But he'd still wanted a few more hints and ideas here. He'd needed it to end on a high note. What else could he bring up instead, that wasn't too far from the main topic?

And that was when he'd spied it, from the corner of his eye. How could he have forgotten? It was what had started this whole encounter, after all. The notepad, with that strange drawing facing straight up. As if waiting to be remembered. That was as good a fresh starting place as any, right? Moving swiftly, Yazoo had seized the moment, and the pad, bringing the latter eye-level to his trembling Sister.

She caught the movement in her vision, regarding it with a slow lift of her head. The drawing scrawled across the page stared back at her, a reflection of something in that messy mind of hers. He'd addressed her calmly, no matter if the words sounded foolish. There was no other way to phrase it that made sense, in his thoughts at the time.

"She's growing from the ground." Yes, that had sounded stupid as all hell get out, coming from his mouth back then. Even now, he had to cringe, just a little. The only reason he'd gotten away with it was his younger stature; were he to utter that now, the results would be far from the same.

If Kira had taken note of the oddness in his statement however, she didn't register it visibly. Perhaps nonsensical conversations were the norm to her ears-who knew, based on her upbringing? He certainly didn't. Taking that as the most of an encouraging sign he would get, Yazoo went on. "Why is she growing among the flowers?" And there was the finish. Thank somebody out there that no one else was around to witness this. He wouldn't have lived it down, with the Brothers he had.

The girl had simply sat there, a forlorn figure among the sea of bedding. Again, his silent treatment, coupled with another squeeze of the hand. Kira had been looking down, at the papers that now rested in her lap. He'd left the tablet there, that drawing face up with the eyes of the strange girl locked upon her own. A few more seconds of quiet, though this time there was a definite air of something off.

Then, Kira had lifted her head, to regard Yazoo with such a stare. It was the same one he'd seen before, when she'd had that nightmare. When she'd told him not to worry. So lifeless and empty, detached. As if she'd just given up on everything entirely. Like her will to live was nonexistent.

He hated that look. It struck something, deep inside of him. He didn't want to see her staring at him in such a way. It was bad enough to see the expression, but to have it focused entirely on him and his being...it sickened him. He wanted it to never show itself again, not to cross her features and certainly not to stain his vision. It was a disgusting aberration of emotions and nature. He wanted it gone, banished from his presence forevermore. How dare such an expression attempt to regard him...?!

And that voice...another rare occurrence of her not fumbling with her words. But the tone was haunting and feathery, so melancholy yet accepting. The words hit Yazoo like a head-on strike-something which he'd hated experiencing in the first of his training courses as a younger one. Even now, he hadn't figured them out.

All he knew was that no good would come of them. "She's not growing. She's dead."

That was the end of the visit for the day, though not the end of the discussion. The male had risen from the bed, and begun his walk out. Feeling that he'd needed to add one more note before he'd left though, Yazoo had offered some parting words. Words that had caused Kira's gaze to shift, almost violently, towards his leaving figure. He'd stopped in front of the door.

"I'll bring you more pens next time." He'd looked back at her then, once more before the door slid open. The faintest trace of a smile was on his lips, as he'd taken in her stunned features. "Because I'd like to see more of what you can do." More of her as well, possibly? Had that factored into things so long ago? Turning away and stepping outside, Yazoo had waited for the entrance to close.

When the click of the lock reached his ears, he'd started back down the hall, mind alight with a new flurry of stimuli and puzzlement. So much more to take in and absorb, to figure out. Bit by bit, Kira was gaining depth, and dimension. There was more to her than just a broken little girl. Sure, some parts didn't work perfectly, while others needed to be expelled completely-like that look she'd given him earlier. That had to go. Where were all of these things coming from? The bizarre words, the weird drawings, the stares-they all must've had a root.

But therein lay the problem: the roots were shrouded and hidden, under fear and the tight watch of a frightened child with a fractured processing system. It would take ages just to lift up that first full layer. Even as he learned more about his new sibling, there were so many questions that continued bubbling to the surface. His quest was beginning to seem endless, though giving up had never been in his repertoire of words or actions. He didn't know the meaning of them. No-they had no meaning to him.

Where had all this darkness come from, accumulated from, to center around this one lone figure? Obviously, being a captive and passed from place to place wasn't very healthy to begin with. She hadn't known anything of who she was either, other than a name. Not the last one, no no, couldn't have her potentially getting wise as she grew older. Only the first.

Like she were a dog being led about on a leash, traded from home to home. She'd had to follow whenever they called, or face the consequences, whatever those were. Although she wasn't the most healthy, her former 'owners' had given her at least the bare minimum for care, seeing as she could walk and talk, and her inner workings hadn't been really damaged...or so it seemed. He'd hoped so. That would've made things far more complicated than they'd needed to be. But on the whole, she had survived. Just not fully intact.

And that was the thing that bothered him the most. From what he had witnessed in his time amongst the Shinras, it was that they were tenacious. They never went down without a backup plan of some sort, and a damn good fight. Also, you couldn't keep them bound for very long. They would always find some way to manage. Especially in the case of Kyra, who'd managed to survive for those twelve years in that 'Silent Hill' or wherever. If that wasn't a life of struggle, he didn't know what was. Compared to that, one could argue that Kira had had it easy.

But then...you had the scars. And the evidence, staring you in the face like a loaded gun right between the eyes.

How? How could one person have turned out so different from the rest of their kin? Kyra had been through her own personal hell, and lived. And even in the lap of luxury, Rufus and his Father hadn't been completely safe-such was the price of fame, funds and notoriety. All three of them had pulled through. Magnificently, in fact. For the most part, they were well-adjusted.

And then...then you had Kira.

Was it the illness? Was that why she was so out of touch with everything around her, so delayed? Or was it the environment she'd grown up in entirely? If so, just how bad could it have possibly been, to warrant such effects? Maybe it was even a mixture of both, he didn't know. For all he knew, it could've all been some sort of-of...survival technique on its own?

A pause then. No...how was a life like _**this**_ , what he had been witness to so far, any sort of survival? There had to be another reason for this. Reasons, perhaps. But that was _not_ one of them.

In the present day, the sticky heat of resistance and urges were starting to creep back in. Survival, survival. He had to survive this night too, all on his own, didn't he? So far, the fight was about even, though balancing precariously. Anything could tip it over to one side, but the one at a disadvantage was still clinging on for dear life, with those last few woven strands of refusal.

The part that hated the pain. There was always pain. It came around, sooner or later, once his task was through. The pain of remembering, like a slap to the face. He couldn't have. He couldn't have it.

He couldn't have her.

How much time had passed between them now? Roughly five years, since Kira had shown up at the age of twelve. She was in her last year of the academy now. Both her and her Sister were there. These were their earliest memories that he'd been recalling, oh so long ago.

Back then, he'd had no idea, no clue, no inkling. He hadn't been prepared for what this little 'exploration' of his would lead to. That seething desire, raw passion and craving, towards one he couldn't touch, couldn't have. Not the way he wanted. Before, he never would've imagined himself capable of feeling such things. Being affected in these ways, exposed to something that for once, was beyond his full control and understanding.

Now, though...oh, now...

That had been the real start, he'd supposed. As dark and deep as that last encounter had been, it had also ended on something of a high note. Yazoo had kept to his word, teasingly and temptingly coaxing her into using the colorful pens he'd managed to 'borrow' from Kyra. She had quite a few of them, so it was okay. He'd only taken a handful. But it had been worth it, as gradually he'd gotten her to lower her barriers, enough for smaller, more simpler designs. Nothing quite as striking as that first had been. But there was still potential.

From then on also, as the visits had progressed, Kira would now make the occasional little off-hand comment or observation while Yazoo was around. Just like the writing and drawing, all that had come before, he'd never once tried to strike her down or silence her, content be damned. It was far too much fun to watch as, day by day, she began to gain a better grasp of her verbal skills and comprehension.

All he'd had to do was offer a touch, a smile, a few soft words of his own, basic objects-and just like that, the ball had been set into motion. The triggers had been pulled. Somehow, he was starting to take over the place of 'Most Trusted', in Kira's new little circle of family.

Was that a status to be honored by?

A slight shudder through his nude form. Family. That word again...it was both a blessing and a curse. Binding in a way that he would've never seen coming, nor had any proper way to prepare for. How the hell was he supposed to know a thing about her, or how she'd affect him, before she'd even shown up, much less been found?! He hadn't known her! Simple as that. Another talent he hadn't been blessed with: the ability to peer into the future. Perhaps it would've saved him some headache, yes, but on the other side of things...

...it would've been too much of a God-Mode cheat. Even for him. To have such a power, would've completely defeated the meaning of every last interaction he'd shared with this girl. And that was simply... **boring**.

Trust. Somehow, he, Yazoo-king of the smug and snarky bastards who was quick on the draw with both a comeback and a bullet...had become a figure to be _trusted_ , in the eyes of this scraggly little girl, who continued her slow thawing process in response to his 'charms'. How this was happening at all was anyone's guess. By this point, over two months time had passed at Shinra, since Kira had first shown up. And out of everyone a child like her could have formed a bond of any kind with...it had been him.

Bonds. They certainly were interesting things to take note of, weren't they? The ways they could form, the ones they could form between, even how strong they were or how long they lasted. Bonds were essential in this life; you needed to have at least one connection, no matter the type, to something other than you.

And...they were also wonderfully ripe for abusing. When done in the right ways, mind you.

It was apparent that Kira had never really been taught or even encouraged to use her voice, and as such had tried to discard it away. Just like everything else, he assumed-those feelings, like sadness and hunger, exhaustion...loneliness. She didn't have to say it. It was painted on her face, an invisible clown's makeup: happy on the outside, but crying underneath. Joy, sorrow. Two halves of the same coin. She was _lonely_.

Despite all of her fear and resistance, she was still just a little girl, and she'd been left alone. Now, even with all the times she'd tried to convince herself that it didn't matter, it was for the best...she couldn't erase that pain inside. The part of her that was meant to expand and grow, just like any other human being on this flying rock hurtling through space. Contact, proper interaction, was necessary to humans if they wished to function properly in the modern world. It wasn't something she could just ignore.

These had just been his thoughts on things, the mental armchair psychology of a smart-ass who grew up as an experiment, a product, a project-not a kid. Not a person. Not human, though he could certainly act the part. He'd been born and bred to turn out a certain way, for a certain purpose. Him and the others in his lineage. On some level, he could identify with Kira. On the other, it was really just another balancing act of guessing and estimates.

As he'd stated before, he still hadn't had enough info on her to know the true nature of things here. There were too many empty spaces that remained. But, he wasn't going to lie and deny that what he had gotten so far was...really working for him? As time had rolled on, into the third month of staying cooped up at Shinra and being visited by Brother Dearest-heh-Kira had become far more active among her four walls. She was almost always up now when he'd stop by, and sometimes, she'd even be waiting by the door when he opened it and looked around inside.

Well, sort of. She'd always hide in the corner by the side where the entrance opened against the wall, and it would take a couple of glances to track her down. But he'd never tired of that pure enjoyment that would light up her face like fireworks. Never had, never would.

She was so happy to see him. Him and only him.

But eventually, that time had to come in things. It was inevitable; as much as he'd thought of her as such, Kira wasn't a toy he could covet and hoard all for himself. The moment had finally arrived: when he would be forced to share his sister's attentions with others once more. Just when things had been progressing so smoothly, too. Now, he really hadn't gotten any say in the interruptions. He had to take them like a big boy.

No one ever said he had to necessarily be pleasant towards the set up, though. And it was only that tidbit of info which had kept him in line.

He hadn't had much of anything to offer when Kyra had come back into things. He remembered the day quite clearly, it had been a Sunday. The one day that kids didn't have to go to lessons. The look on her face had been priceless. When she'd first stepped inside, it was apparent she hadn't expected quite such a change to have occurred.

But, lo and behold, there was Kira, waiting in the center of the room like a sort of living present. Kyra had been rather taken aback to find a Sister who, although shy and not always the most confident, was obviously willing to work at making it better. Kira had managed to come far enough from where she once was, to now stand before her in her domain as she'd entered again. She hadn't been hiding among her blankets, or in the corner. That was for another time.

Instead, she'd been smiling a little, and even attempting to make eye contact. Yazoo had been so certain that Kyra was going to cry, as she'd hugged the girl fiercely. This time, she was able to return the gesture without half the awkwardness of the day she'd first arrived at Shinra. There were no words here; they weren't needed. Talking came after. For that moment in time, a proper reunion. Kira had opened up to two people by this point, and the results were beginning to show, if on a delay. Things were looking up, at least in the socialization progress. That was welcomed, sure.

Now, if a few more of those puzzle pieces came tumbling into the picture, he could actually finish a full section, instead of getting all the random end fragments. That wish hadn't completely come true yet. What did show up in its place back then, were two nosy sniffers: his Brothers.

These new meetings, however, would add on a whole new layer of dimension to his plans...as well as some further, fresh insight. He hadn't been expecting all those parts, at least not simultaneously in one go.

It was the second time that everyone had gathered in Kira's room: himself, the girl in question, Kyra, Kadaj and Loz. It hadn't been too hard for Kyra to rope Loz into things, he really wasn't going to attempt to refuse when she'd asked him so sweetly, with that warm smile on her face. It wouldn't have killed him to go, and it wasn't like he hated their new Sister, either. She seemed okay, she'd never yelled at them or acted mean. He just didn't really know what to make of her.

She'd never come outside to play, for one thing...that did make him a bit sad. Was she scared of them? Of him? He didn't mean to be scary, it was just his looks. Meeting with her again and potentially gaining a proper chance to play was more than enough reason to pick up on, before joining Kyra in her new quest of tracking down Kadaj, and getting _him_ to agree.

This part had been a little more difficult.

Currently, Yazoo was teetering on the edge, between potential rationality and full-blown, mindless self-indulgence. The heat above and throbbing below had eased up just a tad, and it almost gave him a sense of hope in regards to his situation. His hand was slowly beginning to inch its way back up, away from his groin and towards his abdomen once more. Perhaps this was what he had been waiting for...? Maybe now someone was going to hear his fervent devotion, and soothe the rage of desire that had been threatening to spill over?

Perhaps.

They'd found Kadaj easily enough-he'd been training in one of the simulators when Kyra had come calling, with both Yazoo and Loz in tow. The male had been visibly annoyed as the practice setting faded away. Giving a glare towards the entrance, it had softened just slightly as he'd taken note of his Sister...and then returned when he'd caught sight of the other two. If all three of them were coming for him, then it wasn't anything good they'd be asking.

Lying in his bed, still precariously keeping his balance between hormones and clarity, Yazoo let out a soft huff. He was remembering all the backtalk they'd gotten from little Brother, once he'd found out exactly what they were going to do. Apparently, his curiosity wasn't nearly as strong as either of his siblings, and he hadn't yet changed his opinion of Kira-he still thought she was "A useless weakling".

That had earned him a pull of the hair from Kyra, and a silent glare from Yazoo, though his Brother had not noticed it. He'd been too busy yanking right back on Kyra's own locks, before mouthing off once more. Now Loz had been serving as referee of another potential fight.

Maybe, if his younger Brother hadn't been so stubborn and uptight, spazzing out over every little thing that didn't match what he wanted or expected, he might've actually gotten that same chance as he. To have experienced those early visits with Kira, and see just how far she'd come. Everything that he had missed, while his elder had been in the know. The sensations, the intrigue, the accomplishment of being first. Oh, how he'd wanted to shut up that impulsive twit, maybe with his own sword.

After what he'd heard and witnessed, felt, been privy to, he would not tolerate anyone calling the girl such things. He knew otherwise, and as soon as Kadaj got his head straight and his ass in gear, Sister Dearest would've been about to prove it, with flying colors. That was how Yazoo had seen it pan out in his mind, like a little mental movie. In actuality, however...

The first meeting had gone as smoothly as could be expected. Considering the cast of characters here, that was saying something. Though it could've been worse, it also could've been better. And even if it was a turning point for Kyra and Loz, as far as perception went, Kadaj was still impatient and reclusive as ever. Kyra and Loz had been polite, and in return Kira had managed out a couple of soft "Hi"s.

Of course, Yazoo had gotten a bit more than that; he'd gone to pat her head, and received a jolt to her heart and a flush in her cheeks, as well as his greeting. He was the special one here; ranking didn't matter in this game, he had secured the crown for himself a long time ago. Nobody else had this sort of relationship with her.

Like Puppet and Master.

When the last one had come strolling through the door, long after the others had settled down inside- _some_ one was dragging their feet here-Kadaj hadn't done anything more than give Kira a cold glare, before brushing past her roughly, to get inside. She'd let out a squeak of surprise and mild discomfort, to which Kyra had reacted appropriately by means of a quick verbal scolding.

It had taken all of Yazoo's self-control to not simply haul off and give his younger sibling a few new holes in the head for his 'trouble'. Wasn't like he didn't already have some-the fact that he couldn't get over his narrow, childish perspective only served to prove Yazoo's point. No matter if technically, the whole lot of their line were born and bred psychopaths with perfect physical and mental prowess. Those were a completely different set of holes altogether.

The conversation between the five of them was a mixed bag, with mainly Kyra and Yazoo bringing up things to talk about. Kyra's had to do with everything that was going on in the outside world, from school to the latest hijinks and antics she'd gotten into at the company, or what sort of things may've been on the horizon in the near future for Shinra.

Yazoo's had been more focused on getting more attention to Kira. If he was going to have to share, the least he could do was get them to see the girl he had tended to, the girl he was fighting so hard to pull out of her own shadows...

...only to sink down into his.

Loz had added the occasional shortly worded answers or brief movement of acknowledgement-he was more into actions, not chatting. Kira had fluctuated between short responses, jittery stutters, and the infrequent one-liners that somehow managed to stumble forth. Of course, Yazoo had played a crucial part in getting her to this point, and it was working. His other Sister and Brother were easy enough to get warmed up to his little pet project here. It was just that smart aleck prima dona little Brother of his that had really gotten under his skin.

Kadaj refused to contribute anything when it came to conversing with Kira, only sparing the briefest answers to Loz and Kyra. Yazoo he'd simply cast faces at, smug sneers and annoyed pouts. The occasional biting retort. He hadn't wanted to be there, that's what he must've been telling himself. And quite a few times, those glares of loathing had been aimed at Kira as well, especially if she stuttered. If she'd noticed them, she'd been doing a pretty damn good job of hiding it.

In return, Yazoo had been certain to give him his own glare as well, that conveyed one simple message: _Start anything and you'll only be wishing that someone_ _ **else**_ _got a hold of you first before me._ The looks he'd gotten in reply from his target were venomous, but grudgingly accepting. At least, as long as the others were around, Yazoo in particular, he wouldn't attempt any stunts.

Hopefully.

How persistent Kadaj had been in those days, not wanting diddly-squat to do with Kira, trying to keep her out of the family unit that had been built up so far. It was somewhat amusing to look back on, mainly in part because of how things had wound up turning out in the end, for all of them.

 **Some** what.

There it was, deep in his blackened heart. Yazoo felt it, and suddenly the sheets seemed to cling to him like flypaper. That first recognition of a new kind of rage. A range of emotions he had come to know, and at times loathe in his checkered existence. That twitch to his fingers.

Rivalry. Jealousy. Possession.

What would happen if or when Kadaj finally got his head out of the ground, and accepted Kira as she was? Yazoo had gotten his answer to that soon enough, and it wasn't one he'd cared to dwell on.

The third full group visit was where things had really heated up.

 **A/N: And there we go, the end of Chapter Seven. Only three more to go after this; yeah, it's a Ten Chapter fic. Like I mentioned before, it was written out as a one-shot, then divided up. This is the amount I wound up with. Hopefully things don't seem too slow, or too rushed. I know the Chapters can be a little long, and I don't wanna be boring anybody.  
**

 **But there you have it, the resolution to Kira's impromptu drawing session. That escalated quickly, didn't it? She obviously enjoys drawing, but...isn't allowing herself to do so? That's a baffling realization, even if you're not Yazoo. Although it sheds more light on things here, the shadows still remain. Humans really are quite the puzzling creature to figure out, aren't they?**

 **Also: the reintroduction of the rest of the trio, and Kyra. It's been awhile since we last checked in with them, huh? Now they get to see just how far Yazoo's little visits have gone; there is a change in our awkward oddball, even if its small. It's obvious that most of them are happy with this development.**

 **...you do understand why I say 'most', right? [*cough* Kadaj *cough*]**

 **As always, feedback is welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated. We're a little over halfway through this fic now, and I'd like to know whether or not I'm doing a decent job w/any of this. I just like entertaining people. I'm not looking for popularity here. If you honestly feel like saying hi, by all means, do so. If you've got critique on where I could improve, share it. I'm looking to get better at what I do, so...yeah.**

 **Next time: confrontation, and new discoveries about little Kira that reveal a whole new side to this fractured fairy-tale princess. And a late-night visit that goes rather awry.  
**

 **As always, take care everyone.**


	8. You

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', 'Bleach' or 'Jigsaw Girl'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami, Tite Kubo and the Toadies. I only own my OC and this fanfiction. Thank you.**

As always, everyone was gathered in Kira's room. Kyra had been the social butterfly, Yazoo the new referee, Loz the awkwardly emotional, since he couldn't exactly rough house in Kira's room, and Kadaj...late like usual, and still a brat.

Kira had been sitting on her bed, but wasn't under the covers. She was seated atop the blankets, swinging her legs over the edge as she'd listened to Kyra crack a few jokes. She'd had to subsequently explain them however, seeing the puzzled look upon her Sister's face, and hearing the...interesting responses she had in reply to the punch lines.

Yazoo had had to admit, although it was a wonder to know someone who didn't quite grasp the concept of humor...it had been funny to hear her answers. They were unique, if not always sensical and grounded. It kept him amused, what could he say. He also got the biggest kick from the idea of actually taking the time to teach her how to laugh. That had been another thing he hadn't heard much of from her yet, either. No mouthing off, obviously.

He wasn't sure what exactly it was that had set things into motion. Kyra had been commenting on something or other, while Loz and Kira were her rapt audience. Yazoo had been watching and listening intermittently, when he'd seen Kadaj tromp over, and make a comment of his own right back to her-and completely cut off her speech. Obviously, Kyra was annoyed, and it had shown on her face. Perhaps that's what had caught Kira's attention, and gotten her to react as she did.

But, she'd turned that swirling gaze to Kadaj, taken a deep breath, parted her lips, and addressed him as clearly as she could, without losing her nerve. A daring gesture indeed. Aside from those brief moments at the door, she hadn't said a thing otherwise to him. Her voice was soft, imploring, nervous, and so were her words. Still, it was a simple enough request...until she'd unintentionally added in that 'special' touch.

"Umm, please...p-please let-let-let Kyra-chan finish speaking, Kadaj-kun?" Instantly, everyone with those finely tuned senses had been able to hear it, loud and clear as day: the thud of a heart that had just been shocked with fear.

Yazoo had gone on alert, watching as Kira instantly clasped her hands over her mouth, a look of horror upon her face. Yazoo didn't understand why, it wasn't like he hadn't agreed with her. What was interesting, was the way she had addressed both Kyra and Kadaj. What was a 'chan'? A 'kun'? The former had been blinking in surprise, and about to ask her sister just where those terminologies had come from.

Kadaj beat her to it. In his own tried and true, Kadaj-patented way.

 _ **Bam**_. In an instant, said male had been directly in front of Kira, gripping at the mattress and blankets to the sides of her. That arresting glare was fixed on his face, aimed at her and her alone. She'd flinched before she'd even heard his retort.

"How...DARE you!" He'd grabbed a hold of Kira's arm then, forcefully yanking her off her seat. She'd cried out and stumbled, trying to keep her balance and not fall to the floor. By now, all three of the others had been rushing over, to break things up. Kyra had already begun to shout.

"You hot head! What the heck's your problem?!" Her words went unanswered, for the moment. Kira had been notably terrified, and Kadaj was...well, he wasn't happy. His green eyes had flashed dangerously, like jade daggers. He'd managed to push past Kyra and Loz, somehow, with one good shove. It had probably helped that while they weren't aiming for full confrontation, he was.

All the while, he'd still been dragging Kira behind him. Yazoo had followed after them swiftly, as they'd struggled out the door into the hallway. Kadaj had started yelling once more, as he'd forced his captive to a sharp stop.

"It's bad enough that you're so damn weak! But now, you have the _nerve_ to interrupt me-and call me by your, your-your vile names! I **_won't_** stand for it!" His face had been directly in front of Kira's, and the girl had looked like she wanted the floor to just swallow her whole. All the color had drained from her features, as she'd offered a valiant attempt-on her end, anyway-to reply to him and hopefully, quell his displeasure.

The other trio had just made their way out, to catch Kira stumbling and babbling out of sheer panic. "I-I-I'm sorry-I didn't-it wasn't-it was an accident! I wasn't-wasn't t-trying to-trying to-I'm not making fun of you! Please forgive me!" She was about to snap from the pressure, Yazoo could tell. Things had been going so well, but now...

Almost. She had almost made a fraction of peace with her frantic pleas. Then, another slip. "P-Please, don't hurt me...d-don't hurt me, Kadaj-kun! Yeek!" Kira had looked like she'd just been stabbed. That same name again, and another pang of her heart. What was that word, the one she kept using to refer to Kadaj with? And the other one too, towards Kyra. Yazoo knew that they weren't insults. He couldn't imagine someone like Kira going out of her way to hurt anyone, especially since it had taken her this long just to open up and speak. How would she know how to trash talk, if she still couldn't converse fully?

That hadn't been the answer Kadaj had been looking for. He'd been about to strike, when Yazoo had stepped in. In a second, he'd grabbed hold of his Brother's free arm in a vicegrip. The boy had snarled in response-their speed could be used either for them, or against them, and right then Yazoo had been using it to his full advantage. Another hateful stare. Those heated words. "Let go of me! She needs to learn!"

In response, that flash in Yazoo's gaze, twisting the glare in his features. "Learn what?" His tone had been icy, as he'd stared dead into Kadaj's eyes. "Learn that you're a pathetic excuse for an older Brother?" Another growl from his sibling's throat, before he'd turned his focus to Kira once more, still trembling like a leaf between the two males. The shudders had caught Kadaj's attention and ire once more.

"What was that? Oi, answer me! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Kadaj had shook Kira roughly by the arm he'd still held, forcing her to lift her head. She'd been trying to disconnect-just like every other time, disconnect from the world and self destruct. His words rang in her ears, but she'd seemed unable to process the request.

"'Kadaj-kun. Kadaj-kun!' What the hell does that mean, huh? You trying to say I'm beneath you?!" Yazoo had been about to bitch slap Brother dearest with the butt of Velvet Nightmare, as Kyra and Loz looked on.

One had chosen not to get involved, not this time. The other hadn't been certain if she'd be able to help, especially at this point with such flaring tempers and aggressive actions. Kyra still hadn't known what was what when things had first started. And Kadaj had been scary-mad. Even their fighting had its limits. She would most likely get hurt, no matter if she'd wanted to help. Next to the monsters she'd grown up with in Silent Hill, her 'family' at Shinra were the strongest beings she knew. And she'd only barely managed to scrape past the former.

And just as Yazoo had reached behind with his other hand to pull out aforementioned gun, since Brother had refused to shut up and stop shaking Kira like a baby...

Short, solid footsteps, then the clearing of a throat. A new presence. Someone had been watching them. For how long, though? Had they been listening in, too? Instantly, all of them had turned to see who had stumbled upon them here, in this most messy of situations.

An older male in a crisp black suit, with long dark locks hanging down his back. His gaze was steady as he'd surveyed all of their assembled group with cool appraisal. "Well. It seems we are having a disagreement." Yazoo and his brothers hadn't taken much note of the figure; they knew who he was, but seeing as they'd had no real reason to mingle with him or his underlings at Shinra, they saw no need to acknowledge him.

Kyra, on the other hand, had been regarding him with a widened gaze, that soon broke into a smile. "Ah, Tseng! What are you doing here?"

The male had nodded at her greeting and inquiry before replying evenly. "Well, I work here, as you know." He'd smirked a little at the pout to Kyra's features, before continuing on. "I had some business on this side, and I was just heading back to the offices." His brown eyes had been trained mainly on the trio of figures in the middle of the oddest tug-of-war he'd ever seen-and heard.

"Kadaj. Yazoo. Loz. Kyra." He had addressed all of them, though currently only two were actually up to anything here. "It seems that none of you...are familiar with the Wutainese dialect?"

"Ehh?" Kyra had looked at him in wonder. "Wutaian...dialect? Like the language?" She'd been making sure she had gotten the terminology right. Tseng had nodded at her for the correct answer, then switched his gaze. His focus was now on, of all people, Kira. And she'd realized this fact, too. She had been desperately searching for anything she could to take her away from this moment in time. Her legs had been wobbling, and her upper body had started to slump forwards a little, as if she were trying to hide from them all.

But Tseng's next words got her attention. He'd rattled off a strange set of characters, with all their unique sounds and pronunciations. None of them had understood a bit of it. As soon as they had been uttered to the air however, Kira's head had snapped up. She'd begun regarding Tseng with a questioning stare, a mix of fear and comprehension. Still, she hadn't said anything in reply. A pause, then the man had repeated himself. Whatever it was he'd been trying to say, it seemed as if Kira, of all people had...understood him?

Yes. She had. After a few more seconds of silence, a series of shaky syllables had come forth, though again, it was in that unusual dialect. Wutainese, that's what Tseng had called it, right? Her response wasn't as smooth as his-in some parts it came across as a bit broken or halting, but she managed to finish her sentence well enough. Tseng had nodded, before turning his focus to all of the assembled group.

"She knows Wutainese, or at least one of the common tongues. Not much, though-she lived there a good few years, but wasn't taught anything specific. Obviously, she wasn't born there. She knows the bare basics from listening and repetition, along with a few others. Sometimes, the smaller characters slip out from force of habit and exposure." A look of realization had crossed most of everyone's expressions then, except Kadaj and Yazoo. The former still hadn't gotten what he'd have considered a 'decent' answer, while the latter...

Wutai. Yazoo knew of that place. Hadn't been there himself-well, back then anyway. He had now, five years later. But in the past, he'd only known of it. It was covered briefly in his lessons in the labs; the first most exposure he got to it was during and after the Wutai War. Not a huge country, but still decently sized. They'd lived on their own power, until Shinra had come around to 'develop' the land...and perhaps keep the territory under better surveillance, after the 'rescue and recovery' mission of a certain someone.

Then, the clash. It hadn't been a pretty spectacle, and he hadn't even been a part of it. Though, who was he to question such a conflict? Blood wasn't a foreign substance to him.

Obviously, Kira hadn't been around for the war. That had come later. But she had been found in Wutai. And there'd still been quite a bit of tension between the population there and the 'foreigners', or 'invaders'. The country had been tethering on the brink of that massive, lengthy battle. It shed some light on other things, too-like her previous living arrangements. Maybe it was that pressure and hostility that had screwed her up so badly...?

On the other hand however, she had been in multiple homes before that. So it wasn't a given that Wutai played that big of a role in things. But it was a good starting point to the next leg of the journey.

"'Kun' is an honorific. It's usually used to refer to young men, though in work situations it can also signify that someone is under you in rank. But considering what's happening here, I'm going to guess you meant 'male', right?" He'd returned his steady gaze to Kira, and she had nodded quickly then, like a bobblehead.

Tseng had offered one final set of parting remarks addressing Kadaj, in particular, before making his exit. "Honorifics are used in the Wutainese culture to denote rank, or identify status, even as terms of endearment. They can also change, depending on what specific phrases you're using to describe someone; there can be many forms of the same word. But it's certainly not an insult."

A chuckle had left him as he'd continued on down the hall. "She probably used it out of respect and formality. That's all. She must like you." Those last words lingered in the air, long after their speaker had disappeared into the underbelly of the company. _"She must like you..."_

Another angry growl, from within the darkest reaches of his soul. Yazoo was trying not to grit his teeth in an irritated grimace at the recollection. Although it had been informative, as well as a good promotion for Kira and her camp, it had also...gotten her a little too much attention. And not just from him, either.

He knew what was going to happen, once they'd reached the eventual end of this fraternizing process. When everyone was just as used to Kira's presence as they were Kyra's, then things could truly become 'complete'. And, aside from those few minor hangups from the early days, that process seemed to go well enough. After four months time at Shinra, Kira had finally settled and steadied enough, on her meds and health regiment as well as the interaction front, to be allowed a proper attempt at schooling with her sister.

It had been a scary prospect for her to consider: being around all those people, with a new name and story, without anyone else by her side but Kyra. Or Key, seeing as Kira herself would now be going by the name 'Elizabeth Steele', or 'Liz', once outside the barrier of Shinra.

As much as she loved her Sister dearly, there was someone else, someone who commanded her attention just a little bit more than she. Just a little. Someone she would miss terribly, no matter if it was just for the daytime hours, six days a week. Someone she had unexpectedly gotten used to having around her, even with all the problems she carried. A someone who had come to see her, and look out for her...if only in her mind's eye.

The night before Kira was to start middle school with Kyra, Yazoo had been holed up in his room, trying not to focus on the fact that a lot of his playtime with his favorite toy had just been bitten into majorly. He had taken the news in cool silence, though on the inside, his thoughts had been frenzied.

Being with Kira, and going through everything he had with her, Yazoo was apparently feeling just a touch possessive of his little Sister. It had been one thing to share her with his Brothers and Kyra-he wasn't fond of it, but he'd learn to deal. But getting sent off to the academy too, leaving him behind for most of the day while she was instructed on how to be a, oh, what's the term they use again, "Mindless Drone"?

Yeah, if those institutions were cranking out people like those who walked the streets and worked in the bottom level floors of Shinra-the day laborers, the rat race-then he really had no faith in their abilities to look after his Sisters. After all, Kyra as Key had already gotten a fair share of sludge thrown her way by the student body. And they didn't even know who she really was. But at least Kyra had a tougher constitution, honed and ready to go. She wasn't going to break easily against anyone who tried to give her grief.

Kira, on the other hand...Yazoo still hadn't known, at that time, whether or not the girl even knew the basic layout of Shinra and its facilities. How would she even be able to function on a whole new campus?

He'd be getting an answer to that particular question soon enough however, give or take a few seconds.

It had been pretty silent on their end, for another couple of moments. Then, Yazoo had caught wind of it, coming his way from the end of the hall. He'd sat up at the recognition of fast footsteps, shoe soles pounding against the floor. It was noisy, but at the same time, things were usually quiet up here in the later hours, so. This was a change. Maybe someone was trying to attack the building?

Oh, but if that were the case, wouldn't there be an APB going around the whole complex? No one had come calling for any of them yet, so he could only assume that if there was a problem, it was one Shinra was willing to deal with on its own, without the use of the 'big guns'.

He'd stepped outside nevertheless, simply to grab hold of one of the guards who were rushing down past his door. Why were regular grunts up here, anyways? The man had yelped, feeling the hard touch upon his arm, holding him securely in place. Even then as a youth, Yazoo had enough physical strength to back up any threat he made.

It also came in handy with situations like this, where he really needed some information but didn't feel like going on a trek to find it. Instant interrogation, just add that freaky stare he had saved up for those situations when he was on a time limit, and wasn't feeling generous.

The guard he'd stopped was now regarding him with fear, since his kind didn't usually have any real interactions with the higher-ups, much less the relations to one of the most renowned figures in the company. Yazoo had let out a soft sigh of annoyance. The single problem with this course of action was that his stare and strength often worked a little too well-his targets would be in so much shock, they couldn't muster out anything of a reply.

Snapping his fingers in front of the male's face, he'd managed to at least get him to stop staring off into space at him like a dope. "Hey." Looking at the silver-haired youth with those bulgy, twitching eyes of his, the guard said nothing. But he'd stopped his terrified drooling, so that was as good a sign as any for Yazoo to continue.

"What's going on out here?" Just as he'd uttered these words, he picked up the sounds of another bunch of guards rounding the corner. They'd passed by them without saying a word, not bothering to get involved, and Yazoo returned his attention to the lone underling he still held.

"Why are you all running around at this hour? You're not supposed to be up here." _And outside my room, no less, when I've got nothing better_ _ **to**_ _do than sleep._ These were the thoughts that had been circling Yazoo's mind, as the scared man he held finally began to choke out a reply. His eyes lit up. Oh, this should be good. It ought to be, for all this trouble.

He _**really**_ shouldn't have said that.

In about a minute's time, Yazoo too had now taken to roaming the halls like a living bullet, running occasionally into a guard here and there. They were searching through the areas he'd already passed over below-that's where the search had been concentrated, since by the standards of where the rooms were located, there was more floor below than above. That, and they were just grunts; if they couldn't find her below, then the higher-ups would have to be called in, to search the top levels. Those few that had been running around outside Yazoo's space had been mighty lucky not to be written up, emergency reasoning be damned.

They were also trying to communicate to each other with staticky headsets, while bumbling around and attempting not to cause any sort of disturbance to the rest of the residents here. 'Attempting' being the operative word in this case, because if they'd kept it up any longer, somebody definitely would've had something to say on the matter. And that would be annoying to have to swat off. It was enough to make Yazoo want to beat his head against something hard. These guys, no wonder they were nowhere near the ranks of the elite!

And they were all being sent out, as some sort of solution to this, a both simple yet most vexing problem? They should've just called him, instead of releasing the dogs! Then maybe they wouldn't be wasting so much time!

Why all the fuss? Well, it went something like this: after doing a routine check-in on the occupants of the upper levels, it was noted that Kira was not in her room, nor was she in the bath. Not a big problem, right? Perhaps, until you were to consider this little fact:

Outside of her room, Kira didn't know a thing about where she was and where to go. Although her socialization process had been going better, she still hadn't taken any sort of trip around the complex. He knew, because he'd asked her on more than one occasion before this night, if she'd wanted to take a short stroll around a couple floors of the upper levels where they resided. She'd always shook her head, offering a crooked, nervous little smile along with her faint "No th-thank you..."

Kira could easily get lost, if she hadn't already, and either terrify the shit out of herself and everyone searching for her...or she could wind up potentially being harmed. Shinra was safeguarded, but it was not anything close to what Yazoo would call a 'safe space'. And one more thing, too-why was she gone in the first place? If she hadn't gone wandering by herself, then they had to consider the possibility...

...that foul play was afoot.

"Damn it!" Doing his best to keep rage from clouding his judgment, Yazoo had slammed a fist against a nearby wall, as he'd paused in his search. He was near the section where Kira's room lay now, perhaps a floor above? Since he hadn't found anything downwards, while bothering to check if those idiot grunts had stumbled upon a clue or two, he'd quickly moved on, to the floors above his and then Kira's. Since he was the only one of them who'd have had a reason to be sniffing around up there to begin with. But still, nothing.

He didn't want to even acknowledge the thought of someone _daring_ to lay their hands upon her on his watch, and instead took his time thinking over where she could've vanished to. If she had willingly left her room on her own, then that was a big deal. Kira _**never**_ did that-it was obviously something important that had spurred her on. But what could it have been?

 _Another nightmare?_ He'd asked himself this mentally at the time. Perhaps it was so scary, that she hadn't wanted to stay in her room? That he could understand, it was simply that he knew piss all about where a scared girl would run to if she didn't know the layout of her own home. He supposed she may've been shown maps, but even then, without having ventured out for yourself...a place like Shinra could get pretty disorienting.

He hadn't had any ideas as to where she'd wandered. The guards were no help. And he wasn't about to call everyone else in, either. He'd fix things all on his own, just watch. Before Shinra decided to really let the alarm fly, and make this a whole lot more complicated than it needed to be.

All he had to do...was find her...

 _ **Thud.**_ That hard pump against his chest. His heart? No, wait, he hadn't felt that-not fully anyway, but he had heard it. One beat soon multiplied, filling his hearing with the sound as he'd turned his head to the right. His gaze was staring down the somewhat darkened hallway, and he'd taken a step in that direction. The sound in his ears had increased, and two new ones had also joined its ranks:

Shaky breathing. And footsteps? It only took him a moment to figure it out, and as soon as he did, Yazoo had shot off into the shadows. In a few quick, full strides, he'd instantly zeroed in on the faint form, leaning against the wall to his right. Even in the dim lighting, he could tell-it was Kira. That scent, reaching his nose-so delicate and sparse, not overpowering...and having just enough of a kick to draw him back in, again and again and again...

Wait, how did he know what she smelled like?

At that time, Yazoo had shoved the thought aside. They could call off those incompetent hounds skulking around downstairs-he'd found her, he'd saved Kira, and without any issue. She wasn't hurt, he knew this as he checked her over. Clad in her PJs, still partially damp from a shower. No blood, and no obvious sign of any internal injury either. But...

...she was on the verge of shattering. And as soon as she'd seen his face, her own had broken into a big smile, a smile so wide and one he hadn't ever seen her make before. In that instant, the tears really _did_ start falling down her cheeks, as she'd grabbed ahold of him without a word in a tight hug. She had then proceeded to bawl quietly all over his front. He'd had to clean that up later. But even as she sobbed, she'd been smiling like a loony. A relieved one, though.

When she'd seen his face, she had lit up...as if she'd seen God...

That shiver down his spine, as Yazoo tried not to let his head run away with him here. He'd taken her face in his gloved hands-thank goodness he hadn't actually bothered stripping for bed before all this had happened. _That_ would've been a lot more awkward. He had been doing all he could to get the tears to stop, brushing away at each new one that kept spilling over, down her flushed face and rosy red nose. If his hands didn't work, well...he had no paper. Couldn't he just use his tongue? Tears were salty, right?

Oh...thoughts. Very bad thoughts now, in the present. Back then, those eyes of hers had been a dark shade of green-grey, thanks to the rest of the red surrounding them. Crying didn't suit her.

He wasn't a big fan of human tears to begin with-most of the times he had been witness to them, they had come from some nobody or other he'd had cornered and staring down the barrel of Velvet Nightmare. So weak and pitiful, begging for their lives. It was true that Kira had pleaded not to be hurt once before.

But she hadn't been crying then. A feat one wouldn't have expected, considering just how intense things had gotten after that as well.

When Kira cried, she wasn't begging. Or showing fault. It was a form of release, from all the feelings she was so desperate to shove deep down inside her, never to see the light of day. Crying didn't always have to be a sign of weakness, he'd supposed, based on the circumstances. Say if someone like Loz had started sniffling away, he would've had a field day picking on him for it, refusing to let him live it down.

On the other side of things, Kyra. If she'd been crying-which wasn't often either, though for different reasons-it wasn't simply out of a temper-tantrum. Not that she couldn't throw them, but she wasn't one to try and use her tears to win an argument. He'd appreciated that greatly; that had been a trait carried by many of the other human women he'd come across before and after meeting her.

And of course, Kira didn't fight with anybody. Either she was the ultimate pacifist-or her will had been beaten down enough to suck most of the fire out of her. But she was working so hard, doing her best to learn and grow, even with all these unknown fears surrounding her. They were cloaking her and her life in an inky, thick veil. Gradually, that spirit was coming back to her, though he couldn't be certain that there still wasn't some significant damage done here.

Perhaps she'd never become aggressive, like the rest of them. Maybe she would wind up learning to use that soft demeanor of hers to its own advantage, instead? That had been a better image to his adolescent mind than the thought of Kira being forever stunted, without any sort of upside.

But she wasn't being honest with her feelings. She wasn't being honest that they existed. Here, she had allowed her true emotions to come through, even as it left behind a watery trail. In this instance, it was fine. Yazoo had accepted it. Because...it was progress. Almost overwhelming. Even today, he still remembered that look on her face, that unbridled joy at his arrival. She had fallen into his arms so willingly, though it wasn't out of fear or exhaustion. Kira had been genuinely happy to see him, like always. But this time, she'd allowed it to show through full force, for once.

He would never fault her for her tears there.

 **A/N: And so, another Chapter comes to a close. This was probably the most eventful installment we've had so far-a lot of new developments, both in story and relations.**

 **For one, Kira's history. Again, it seems as though our rattled Princess isn't as helpless or hopeless as first pegged; she's at least able to remember certain things, even if those are rather selective. Looks like Wutai had an impact on her. I did my best to give a reason as to why Kira suddenly started speaking as such-I see way too many instances where someone has a character say certain things from another language, b/c they think it's 'cute' or 'cool', when it really doesn't make any sense, or fit believably. Once again, I am no pro, so mistakes can be made. If anyone has any feedback on this subject, it would be appreciated.**

 **Also, the Brothers. Hopefully, thanks to the events in this Chapter, Kadaj will stop being quite as harsh on Kira? Obviously, one event isn't going to sway him automatically, but it might help, if nothing else, to cast her in a slightly better light?  
**

 **Perhaps. There's always more than one side to a story. [Hint hint for the future.]**

 **And now, school has been thrown into the mix. A place that Kira has never gone to, and as such is once more terrified of-enough so to leave her room for the first time on her own. Unfortunately, that didn't really help matters. But it did serve to deepen the relationship between Yazoo and Kira. It's readily apparent now, that he has some form of influence in her life now, something that he wanted from the beginning. But...for what reason? At first, everything seemed clear cut, but now...he's not so sure. What does it truly mean, to be important in such a way, to another so similar yet different from yourself?**

 **As always, feedback is welcomed, appreciated and encouraged. After this update, there's only two Chapters left, before this tale wraps up. Hopefully, you're still enjoying it. Things move slowly, I know, but...I never did enjoy the rush. It's much more rewarding to take your time, IMO, especially w/material like this. There's so much to be explored and worked w/here.**

 **Next time: The conclusion to Kira's nighttime 'adventure', and the fresh wave of experiences that develop from it. Time passes, like always, and so too do people grow...in more ways than one. We're getting nearer to the present day, along w/the conclusion of this story, contained in one single, restless night.  
**

 **Until then, take care everyone.**


	9. Back

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', 'Bleach' or 'Jigsaw Girl'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami, Tite Kubo and the Toadies. I only own my OC and this fanfiction. Thank you.**

His expression had been flecked with concern, though not overwrought. He wasn't one for over-dramatics, just snark. He could act, but he was a good performer, not a trashy one. And he wasn't about to let out the fact that he'd been very close to tearing the complex apart just to find her, either. That probably wouldn't help. He had to be 'comforting', something he hadn't had much of any experience with. But in this case, he hadn't gotten any other option.

"What's the matter?" He'd figured that should be the first thing to ask, since he really had no clue as to how she was out here in the first place, and why. Well, other than walking. He knew that much, though he had to wonder if she may've been hiding somewhere for a bit, as well. Had she gotten scared after starting her little adventure?

Yeah-her adventure and Shinra's heart-attack. Nice way to kick off the term as a new student, right? Go missing before your first day.

Unconsciously, Yazoo had found himself reaching out to stroke Kira's long, somewhat messy locks with one hand. They weren't quite as tangled now, but they continued to hide her features. The other had now slipped from her face, with an arm wrapping around her shoulders to keep her where she was. Of course, she hadn't protested. And, after a few more moments of hiccuping and catching her breath, Kira had finally looked back up, to the dark angel looking down at her. She was smiling, even with the fresh sadness in her eyes.

But there was still relief, as she'd let out a choppy little noise, which Yazoo was later able to identify as some sort of giggle. Giggling? Kira was giggling? Or attempting to? He hadn't had the time to revel in the fresh experience, because another one was about to shove it clear out the window, taking its place. "Eheh...whoops, looks l-like-like I...went th-the wrong way...heh..."

Yazoo had continued gazing down at her, the hand on her head threading through her hair while the other was rubbing her shoulder. He knew now, that it would be a straight-up lie, to say he hadn't cared that she went missing. Back then, he'd probably known it, too. Yet, he'd continued viewing the entire night through that cracked spyglass; trying to convince himself that the responses were pre-recorded into him, as a sort of defense mechanism of adaptation. Even if he was heartless, no one had to know that fact completely, right? He was just playing the game.

But oh no, wait. He _wasn't_ heartless. He'd had one, toxic as it was...

...it had simply been _**stolen**_.

"Where were you going?" His words had been a low murmur, as he'd brought his head down, lips parted beside her ear. He'd felt her shiver at the light puff of air, grazing the shell as the inquiry sunk in. Then another. "Did you have a bad dream?"

He'd felt her heart thud hard in her chest, and in response she'd shaken her head quickly. A little too quickly actually, seeing as she hadn't been the most balanced in that moment, for good reason. She'd nearly fallen backwards, and would have if Yazoo hadn't been holding her there steady against him. But the answer was clear.

"N-No...not a bad dream." She'd sighed then, glancing to her side briefly with that tear-stained stare, before turning to face him once more. Her expression had been in a guilty smile, that had made something flare up in his chest as he viewed it. Again, that look. What...could she possibly have to be guilty of this time? He hadn't yet figured out where it had all stemmed from. Yazoo could only tighten his grip on her slightly, his own expression a lone smile, just a tad worried.

Worried. Was that something he would've used to describe any of the emotions he'd learned to use in this mess of a world? No, not usually. But back then, he'd been able to play the part so perfectly, say those lines like his life depended on it. Nowadays, the 'worry' had actually become its own sentient set of feeling with stressors and triggers.

"What was it then, dearest Sister?" If she hadn't been suffering from a nightmare, then he'd had no further leads as to what could have set all of this into motion. Kira had been looking straight into his eyes, that sad smile still on her face. Oh, how he wanted to take it away, banish it so that it wouldn't mar her features so. This look affected him in a different way; it was nowhere near as repulsive as the lifeless mask she'd worn twice before. This one reached him in a strange manner. Why was her first response always guilt?

In that current moment, Yazoo felt his heart skip. Shit. _Those_ feelings...they were stirring again. There was one thing now, that he could think of, the only crime she could've ever possibly committed. But it was one he'd never punish her for. In a sense, it had been the perfect crime. He hadn't even realized what was happening, until...

Another thud in the smaller girl's chest. That same plaintive stare. Those faded, chapped lips, parting to give him the reason that had floored him then, and continued to do so until this day. "I was...I g-got scared, thinking about g-going to lessons tomorrow." She'd swallowed quietly, but went on. It seemed that her willingness to communicate had opened a bit further from this, if only for the one night. "I h-haven't had a lot of experience with it, b-but what little I know...it's not fun." A strong shudder then. Had she been in an academy before, or... "I d-didn't think I could deal with it..."

The energy building between them had been a wonder to behold, but Yazoo was pretty certain that, at the time, he'd been the only one aware of it. Kira, innocent Kira, she was completely oblivious as to what she'd been doing here. The spell _she_ had been casting.

Finally, the end of the explanation. "A-And I-I-I...I didn't wanna think about-about not being able to-to see...all of you." Another pound of the heart, though that time Yazoo hadn't been sure if had been just hers alone. Not just "all of you". There was something more. He'd waited with bated breath, paused while appearing completely interactive. Everything in his being was resting on this answer.

And boy, was he in for one helluva sucker punch. "Not being able to s-see you...my Onii-chan." At hearing this part, the male's heart actually had jolted in response, for once. This was a big development here. What...what had she just admitted?

And what had she just called him?

"I left my room...because I wanted to see you...one m-more time. But I...I got lost, and scared...and then I got stuck h-here..." Her stuttering was seeming to calm, the more words she managed to get out. The comfort levels were growing between them, even as his nerves and desires had continued to twist up into a spring of tightly coiled madness. Yazoo had been drinking them in, analyzing everything behind that facade of simple inquiry and brotherly concern. Oh, his mask was slipping.

"Rrgh-!" Back in the present, Yazoo's emotions were starting to get the better of him once more. He hadn't been expecting the reaction to be that strong, at remembering the first time she'd addressed him that way. Since then, that name had been reserved for him and him alone, no matter if she considered the others as her siblings, too. It was yet another special bond between them, one of the many that had formed during their time together.

Just like when she called him "Zo-kun". Another precious nickname, a sweet and gentle method of acknowledgement that he'd never thought possible to apply to someone like him. That had come later, and he hadn't complained. This one...had introduced him just as much to her own world, as he had her to his. And now, they were starting to blur.

"Kira..." It had taken a few moments for Yazoo to fully formulate a reply. She had said, in plain terms, that the reason why she'd left her room was because she had been scared of going to classes, and being away from him. So she'd set out to find him. _**Him**_ , and no one else. Even when she'd had no idea where the hell she'd been going. It had been a whole new section to the puzzle that he'd patiently pieced together, and it had excited him.

He hadn't let that excitement show until he'd returned to his own room, however.

Leaning down, he'd finally begun his response, with a kiss to the forehead. He'd felt her warm slightly, but as usual she hadn't pushed him away. His hold on her had not lessened; the only thing that changed was that he'd now been using both arms to do so, keeping her as close to him as possible while he took in her scent. Allowed it to wash over him like a light, pleasant breeze.

Then, more pretty words. "Dearest Kira...while I am flattered that you care for me so..." His eyes had softened just a tad, a look that had been, and always would be, reserved for her and her alone. "I don't want you putting yourself into harm's way just to find me." He'd started rubbing her shoulder unconsciously, as he'd continued on. "I'm sorry you were frightened."

Another kiss, this time to the top of her head. Again, no brush off. Maybe she had even grown to expect...and enjoy his touches?

Oh crap, the boner was coming back. And the memories weren't about to stop now. Not after _today's_ events. "I know it seems like such a scary concept, going to a new place." Well, he'd assumed it was anyway, based off of what Kyra, then eventually both girls, had mentioned to him. As stated before, all his learning had been inside the labs.

But he hadn't been about to push her aside, not after such a stunning display of devotion that had managed to, figuratively, knock him flat on his ass. Looking back down at her, he'd noted that her head was lowered once more. Reaching, he'd taken a hold of her chin, like so many times before, tilting it up until he could see her face. The face that had currently become a small obsession.

"However, you are a strong girl, and you deserve an education just as much as anyone else." Although he still didn't understand why the Sisters couldn't simply be taught while at Shinra-he'd never understand that spiel about "Getting more familiar with their adoring public, while having the typical schooling experience"-he'd come to accept that it was yet another obstacle, like his tests, that his Sisters were stuck dealing with. Or medication regiments, like in Kira's case.

And now, _he_ was _**really**_ dealing with it, too.

"Besides..." And at this, he had lowered his face closer, so very close to hers, while just managing to keep that sliver of distance between them. "A Princess needs to know what to expect in her life upon the throne, yes? That extends beyond the company's walls. It's important to be prepared." His stare had been focused on none other than her, the words spilling forth fluidly and without hesitation, like a fallen bottle of wine.

Dark, rich wine...and the effect had been quite the intoxicating one. Kira had continued to watch him, hanging on his every word as if he were the King of the world. Heh, that was actually a nice thought, there...

Somehow, when he was with her, there was a growing need in his soul, to get closer, know more, influence further. She was like a blank canvas, just full of possibilities. And he was the painter, gradually bringing to life his masterpiece. Kira had started to progress from more than just 'entertainment' or 'a fun toy'. She was steadily, inch by slow inch, making a niche for herself in his existence, more than just a Sister he wanted to indulge.

Was he truly indulging her...or indulging in her?

By then, Yazoo had already broken the hold between them, instead keeping Kira by his right side as he'd led her back down the hall. "Now, in order for a Princess to learn as much as she can, she first needs a good night's rest." He'd looked at her, a bit pointed but mostly teasing. "Have you already taken your medications for the evening?"

One of the many things he'd wound up memorizing for himself: her pill schedules. Two pills in the morning, for two separate substances, an anti-depressant and mood stabilizer. Then, three pills in the evening for sleep, anxiety control, and dream management. Yes, even her dreaming had to be kept in line, because of how prone to nightmares she'd turned out to be. All psychiatric, just like the earlier ones. Formulated to hopefully balance out, and not clash with nasty side effects. But even then, they weren't perfect.

Yazoo couldn't imagine having to stick to such a routine daily; the checkups every month with Hojo were bad enough. To be forced into taking treatments every day, and twice a day at that, just to function? No thank you very fucking much. His sympathy towards Kira and her situation had begun to stir further, though he'd known that ultimately, the only thing he could offer was his brand of companionship and a watchful eye.

Huh. He'd never have dreamed of categorizing himself in such a role. It seemed so very...beneath him, at first glance. However, in this case...

His 'companionship' with Kira was what had led them to this point in the first place. Even if she was doing the work to move forwards, it was all thanks to him that she'd started taking those shaky steps to begin with. In that sense, while he may've been her confidant, there was a sort of symbiosis going on here-she couldn't function without him. It had been made clear this night. She needed him.

And...he had begun to need her too, in his own way.

Kira had looked up at him sheepishly, the red in her expression gradually fading as the shed tears were becoming nothing more than a fleeting memory in time. "No..." She'd admitted it with that same guilty tone, though this time the prior sadness wasn't quite so wrapped around it like a choking, poised snake. He'd moved on, simply letting out a playful tutting sound.

"Well, if you're going to get some shuteye, the first thing we need to do is remedy that. Let's go back to your room, and I'll help you settle in." For just that briefest moment, Yazoo had had an image flash through his mind, of spending the night in dearest Sister's room, watching her as she slept so peacefully, beside him.

Beside him...

Kira had made no protest at his spoken plans, appearing more than content to have her acid-tongued iceberg of an older brother-no, an "Onii-chan", as she'd referred to him as, he'd had to find out exactly what it meant later-lead her away, to tuck her in for the night. She'd been pressed so closely into his side, and Yazoo recalled that first sensation of prickling heat beginning to build under his heavy getup. They had come _so very far_ from where they were four months ago.

Doing his best not to dwell on this point too much, since it had only served to raise the temperature under his suit, Yazoo had turned his thoughts to just how stupid those guards were going to look, once he'd gone to deliver the news. It had taken him a little time, but in the end, he'd found her. He'd found her, no one else. He had saved her.

And it had all been _**because of him**_ that this had happened to begin with.

The shivers coursing through his body upon the sheets were both startling and delicious. His arousal was beginning to rise once more, remembering just how...twisted and proud he'd felt back then, at having been the trigger to this sudden jump forwards. Because of him, Kira was becoming more of a person, in her own right. It had all been under his expert hand.

Not his other siblings, not the rest of Kira's family, not even the doctors who were treating her. It had all been _his_ doing. _He_ had started this experiment, and now the results were...starting to get a little too 'real' here. His logical mind had told him to use his brakes, but his heart, his hungering curiosity and now gradually realized longing...were driving him to slam on the gas instead.

Did he like the speed? Did he care if he crashed? How far would this journey take him? No- _ **them**_. He wasn't alone here, not in this setup. He had a passenger by his side.

The incidents of the night before had faded into the past, as school began to take up Kira's focus. It was a truly turbulent experience for her-she never said much about it, but Yazoo had been able to guess to himself, multiple times, that Kira was hiding more than she let on. Why she'd felt the need to do so, he hadn't understood, but as long as it didn't hinder her progress, he didn't care. Perhaps it was out of compassion towards her fellow students, ha. Somehow, she'd managed to stay afloat, by a miracle or two.

It had probably helped that at least she'd had Kyra by her side, no matter if it was just them against the majority of the student body. Still, there was that reluctance and hesitation on her part. He had many further layers to progress through, before she as a person would be fully revealed.

However, even with all the new coursework involved, Kira managed to spend time among the rest of the family, which Yazoo was grateful for. Even if he wasn't seeing her as often as he would've liked, a little time was better than none. For the moment, he'd take what he could get. Oh, how he'd done his best to stick to that mantra, and at first, it had worked. Nowadays, though...

The urges were getting worse.

As the first few months of school passed by for Kira, that family setting that Yazoo had been imagining from day one had finally formed. With all of them-yes, even grouchy Kadaj, surprise surprise. Kira had been trying to get out of her room more, aside from the academy trips, and Yazoo had been more than willing to help in that endeavor, by leading her to his side for little excursions beyond her comfort zone.

She'd been a bit timid at first, but had eventually gotten settled in. In the present time, he could bring her to his room without question, and she wouldn't fret a bit. She seemed to like his room, in fact. After all, it was just hanging out with "Onii-chan", Older Brother, right?

That devious grin, reflected in his eyes, as once more his hand began to drift lower. Over the taut, pale skin of his abdomen. _**Right.**_

He hadn't been the only one who'd been showing Kira around, however...it seemed that Kadaj too, was introducing her to new places, i.e _his_ room. A place Yazoo would've rather she stayed away from. Like fifty feet or so. How he'd suddenly gotten over his issues with the girl, he'd had no clue. But the reminder of Kadaj's brazen actions caused his gaze to darken briefly, before he shoved the memories aside. He had nothing to kill right now, so it wasn't good to dwell on.

But, it was around that time...when he'd finally taken notice of just how far his relationship with dearest Kira had gotten...and how deeply it ran.

The soft skin. The delicate touches. The beat of her heart. The way her hair caught in the light at times, with a momentary auburn sheen. When she hit about fifteen, she'd gotten it cut short-both of the girls had, actually. The lighter styles suited them more in the later years. Kyra's was a bit more spiky, springing out away from her face in front while up in layers on the back. Kira's had been fuller, with thick bangs that fell to her right and a few sparse cowlicks up top. They were kind of cute actually, like little antennae.

Her skinny, gangly figure gradually grew into a petite proportioned, slender form as the years slowly passed by. Decent height, too-she always had been, and always would be, taller than Kyra. But Kyra had more to her figure, and some impressive assets, if he did say so himself. The two forms fit the girls well, as far as they themselves went. It suited their personalities. This fact never changed.

More observations, like how Kira's throat was exposed every time he'd titled her head back, and how he could feel the pulse racing beneath. He was always so tempted to take off his gloves, just to grasp it for himself against his fingertips. Her thin, slender neck...held between his hands. Playing with her air supply.

Or his breath, hot and trembling against her collar, as he'd proceed to trail his tongue along the scars, sinking his teeth into the tender skin. Maybe breaking, maybe bruising. Maybe both.

Those long legs that seemed to always stand out, no matter what she wore. Even if it was mostly nightgowns and PJs, thin and loose pieces. They couldn't hide them fully, once 'puberty' had kicked into effect. It was so easy to see, based on the developing curve of her hips-exactly where they started from, and how far they went. Legs that went on for miles, isn't that how they'd describe it? Her figure had height with smaller womanly touches, and her mannerisms were gentle, though she herself wasn't necessarily 'tiny'.

Her voice. That sweet tone, that had gone from jittery whispers and too much stuttering, to a far calmer pitch, only peppered with the occasional stray hiccup. She had gotten so much better at explaining herself, and what was going on inside her head. Or at least, when he'd asked her. Though she still hadn't been telling him everything...but fine. Progress was progress. They'd burn that bridge when they came to it, make sure it would never come back to bother them again. He didn't want Kira to live a half-life, in the silence. He wanted to hear her. Hear more of her.

He'd heard her sing a few times since then, as well-completely unexpectedly, of course. He'd just happened to be outside her door for a visit when he'd caught the sounds through the barrier. He'd had no idea where she'd picked the songs up from; a couple he was able to identify as Wutaian, the others just seemed to be the same lines, over and over.

It seemed like she hadn't memorized the whole tunes, and it had made sense, considering her history. She could read, but hadn't been taught how to use those words. If she had heard the songs without seeing their lyrics, it was entirely possible that only certain parts had stuck. He wasn't yet sure as to how things like her memory worked.

He'd had to admit though, as the goosebumps began to prickle on his flesh in the shadows of his room, desire rising...it was such a lovely sound. Her voice, in general. He'd often wished she hadn't gotten so startled every time he'd interrupted her. From that first time, he'd begun wondering to himself...

...what _other_ sounds could she make, under his touch?

It was obvious, to anyone with eyes and a brain: the Shinra Princesses were growing up, in more ways than one. By this point they had already finished 'Middle Academy', and begun their learning at the next level, that place called 'High Academy'. Three years is what they'd said, before they could graduate and move on for good. To the position and status they so rightfully deserved. It was during their second year that the new observations had started.

The best part about this, however? While Kyra may've been taking to her changes like any eager teenager, having fun with experimenting on her looks, for an 'older' feel or appearance, Kira...Kira hadn't seemed to realize that she'd grown some, since the day she'd first arrived there.

The years were passing by slowly, and more were set to follow. But even with all the evidence, Kira just...didn't seem to register it. She was blithely oblivious to her hormones, or the majority of them. As if she were still a little girl, playing make-believe in her head.

Yazoo had finally noticed _them_ as well, the rest of them, once Kira had started going out and about more often, dressed at last in things other than sleepwear and sweaters-like academy uniforms, for one. They were scattered about her legs and arms, from what he had seen, though he wouldn't have been surprised if their range extended to the parts that all the pretty clothes covered. They reminded him instantly of the ones he'd found on her face and throat.

Scars. So. Many. Scars.

Long ones, short ones. Some were even just spots altogether-circular, sometimes hard looking masses. Thick and thin, a few completely flat. A couple were in straight, dotted lines. Some were so faded, nearly a shade of milk-while. Others were a mixture of pink, while the last bunch were a deeper rosy red-sometimes flecked with a spot of brown-violet. Like a bruise beneath the skin, that would never go away. It had bothered and baffled Yazoo then, and continued to until this day.

Where could she have accumulated so many injuries from?

She hadn't been taught any sort of survival skills, like Kyra. She'd just been handed off from one family to another, each apparently looking to make a quick buck while passing around one of the new Shinra heirs, causing their own trouble to the company and its bloodline. And he knew she wasn't combative, which meant she wouldn't have gotten those marks from general fighting, like between siblings or front yard scuffles. Which only left two options, in his mind:

Either this girl had been one clumsy Princess-to-be before arriving, or...someone else had inflicted those old wounds upon her flesh. Since he hadn't seen much of that while she'd been living here, he'd been stuck considering the other option.

A fist then, slammed hard against the mattress. Long fingers uncurled and clenched tightly, around the sheets that continued to stick to him, one of the only real sensations that was clear in his mind at this moment. The strike to the bed, another jarring tactic. And the beats of his heart, one by one in steady rhythmic fashion, pounding through his hearing and his chest-he could see it moving just slightly from the force beneath.

Rage. More pure, unbridled hatred. Just like his jealousy towards his Brother, and his detest towards the majority of the human race. He _still_ didn't have anything to kill here.

And that was one of the points of Kira's past that hadn't yet been solved: she never talked about them, even if asked. The silence that would descend upon the current conversation in progress was astonishing. An uncomfortable, prickly quiet. Add to that the look on Kira's face...it was enough to get most to simply go "Whatever", and check out for the day. She had a decent patent on the scary-sad little girl look, Yazoo had admitted this, seeing the event happen a couple of times while they'd been exploring some of the lower levels of Shinra.

The only ones she hadn't done that to were her closest family. She would never give them such treatment. When they had inquired-and a couple had-she'd simply given them her best smile, and changed the subject. Her voice had been shaky, but the intent was clear. It was a topic she did not care to discuss. Having thought back to when she'd first arrived at Shinra, he wondered if all those markings had been taken note of, along with her mental and physical health.

They must've been. How could anybody not notice a battered Princess? They weren't serious wounds, but they'd require a whole lot of editing when they did close-up photos with her, a sad but ultimately true fact to admit. The public was fickle like that. Ungrateful halfwits. If those doctors had figured it all out, he didn't know. No one else had said anything, certainly.

But still...he could not deny, all these thoughts and images running through his mind, of dearest Sister Kira. It wasn't physical appearance that had drawn him to her, not by a long shot. It was merely by this point an added bonus, seeing how he'd gotten to see her bloom into the person she was today. Even trying to focus merely on his enthusiasm towards her progress, however, did not cease to quell the ruckus in his head. It was a completely different reason why he was having some trouble focusing at times...and sleeping at others.

Then, the dreams. The dreams had started.

 **A/N: So ends another Chapter in this steady tale of confusion and desire. Time is passing in Shinra, and w/time comes change, and growth. In various ways, too. Seems as though the relationship between Yazoo and Kira is beginning to extend, beyond that of siblings. What are these new feelings and sensations that our middle child is now privy to? Does he even want them to begin with?  
**

 **As always, feedback is welcomed, encouraged and appreciated. This story is nearly over, but we still have a few things to reveal before the book is closed.**

 **Final Chapter: climax. What else is there to say here? Until then, take care everyone.  
**


	10. Again

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'FFVII/AC', 'Silent Hill', 'Bleach' or 'Jigsaw Girl'. All rights belong to Square Enix, Konami, Tite Kubo and the Toadies. I only own my OC and this fanfiction. Thank you.**

 **WARNING: Sexual content in this Chapter-no Lemons, but a session of self-love.**

Fucking hell, now it was starting to hurt again down there. Just thinking back upon those visions that had graced his subconscious, slumbering thoughts-oh, it was enough to drive him mad! He was caught between the decision of nullifying his body to pacify his mind...or giving in to that delectable self-pleasure that continued to tease him. Especially now, with the mix of images that had been whipped up in a flurry. Those _dreams_ , goddamn it.

He'd seen her there, before him. Plain as day. Kira. Innocent, gentle, timid Kira. With that shy smile and those ocean eyes, looking at him like he were the sun come to banish away the rainclouds. Or maybe she'd wanted to walk under those same clouds with him?

Slowly, things would start to change. He'd see Kira, in her nightgown or PJs, or even her uniform. But, the setup...

...it was in his room.

The results were always the same. Getting Kira in his room, alone, with the door locked tight. Where no one could ever stumble in upon them. And then...

There she was, spread on the bed like a present waiting to be unwrapped. Those skirts, long or short, being pushed up just so, revealing her legs and thighs, hinting at what lay just beneath the edge. Her hands were usually to the sides of her head, as if she were waiting for someone to come along and pin her there.

He could see the first few buttons of her gown undone up above, a flash more of neck and collar. Or her uniform top would be opened wide, showing off the simple, pastel-hued undergarments that clung to her figure. What, why was it so wrong he knew what sort of underwear his Sister wore? It was for research.

Yeah, _research_.

But that look. The look on her face. That emotion to her eyes. The flush to her cheeks, as those pale pink lips parted, voice so soft and imploring.

"Onii-chan...I love you..."

He'd woken up in a full sweat the first time it had happened, the images vivid and fresh in his head like he were still trapped in that devil's dream. He'd recalled every sound, every touch, every sensation. Raising a hand to his head, he'd tried to calm his shaky breathing. No-his frantic panting.

Yazoo had seen it like he were watching a movie play out. He'd seen himself walk over to where Kira lay, saw himself crawl over her and lean in close, without a shred of clothing on his form. He'd seen the way she'd looked at him, when he'd bent over to capture her lips in his. Oh, how glorious it had felt, even in this dream-state; the taste of sweet youth and sour lemonade. He'd kissed her like there was no tomorrow, determined to explore anywhere and everywhere he could reach.

The biting. The pulling. The stripping. Seeing all that fair, supple flesh, the slender figure beneath him-and claiming it for his own. The clawing. All those scratches, running along her skin where he'd gripped at her thighs, dragged his nails upon her back. The force and restraint, so willingly accepted, but not out of fear. It was a true desire, to give everything to the one who was taking it away.

The sounds. Oh, those sounds. That was one of the hardest things to handle: hearing that breathy little whisper, that higher-pitched gasp, as she'd addressed him. "Onii-chan..." He couldn't hide it then, nor now-he felt a perverse pleasure at hearing that term of affection being used in such a situation. Taking that picture of innocence, and completely warping it to a bastardized intention, as they feasted on forbidden fruit. He'd wanted to hear more, taste more. Leave as many of his own marks upon her, until his would be the only ones she'd remember, no matter if they would fade in time.

As he'd tried his best to regain composure in his bed, that was when Yazoo had finally felt it: the sticky sheets between his legs, and the hard on that was threatening to tear a hole in his comforter. That was all the confirmation he'd needed: it _had_ been one of _those_ kind of dreams. At the time, he'd attempted to shrug it off as he'd gone and removed all the blankets, wadding them up in the corner before going to get washed up for the day.

A dream. It was just a dream. A strange dream...a kind of sexy one, actually-but! A dream and nothing else. There was no way something like that would occur again-he'd just been too focused on things the night before, and his head wanted to fuck around with him a little. That was fine, he didn't hate the images it bestowed upon him. It was just being a beautiful liar right now.

Or perhaps, that term was best suited to he himself. See also: _**dreams**_. Plural. It never was just one, these things always came in some sort of multiples.

At times, so did he.

That last strand. Back in the present day, that final string tethering him to his rational mind, with all the power of fifty ball-and-chains. It was about to snap; once again, the metal links were rusting. They were quite quick about it too, and soon, the demon within would come out to play. The side of him that had taken pleasure in this nighttime fantasy, well before he'd gotten hit with the ton of bricks that spelled realization.

The dreams weren't going away. The feelings in him were getting worse. The images grew more detailed and aggressive. Sometimes, his gun was brought into things. _**Yes**_. And he still didn't have enough time to spend with her. Kira the confusing, Kira the alluring. He hadn't liked the lessons that his Sisters attended before, but now, it was a virtual prison, in his eyes.

It kept him away from his pet.

Pet. Not only a task. She had graduated from just a 'project' by this point. And so too had Yazoo, in his own way, right alongside her. It had been impossible to ignore, as the dreams had increased in frequency. His own feelings weren't getting any easier to deal with, either-he was like a hawk, always surveying the area for those who would come and try to steal his broken doll away. Before, he had been protective. But now...

He could feel it, with every new meeting shared between him and Kira, every new dream that haunted his restless nights, every instance when that idiot Brother of his came to stick his nose into places where he wasn't welcome. Whatever sort of 'relationship' he and Kira had had before, it had changed. Drastically.

Somehow, a new factor had crept into the equation, something that Yazoo hadn't realized until he'd looked down to the chain in his hands, and the hole in his chest. He could see Kira, sitting beside him on a collar, holding the beating organ in her hands...all with that gentle smile. It was a disturbing visual, but it did seem to sum things up perfectly:

Yazoo had set out to influence Kira, and raise her into something more than what she was. She was an oddity, a fun past-time, a test, to see just how far he'd come in his own skills. But in return, this strange little girl with the weird eyes and stutter, so desperate to keep things bottled up inside of her...

...had wound up influencing him, as well. And now, he had an even bigger problem to address here.

 _ **Love.**_

That word. Just like family, it had haunted him as soon as it had slipped into his thoughts. He couldn't drive it out, and the more he tried, the more he'd start seeing things, feeling things. Wanting things, things he couldn't have. This 'love', what a painful concept indeed! It was sheer torture, being without one's heart. And still...

He couldn't let it end like this.

It had taken a while to finally admit it: that somehow, he, Yazoo...had fallen in 'love' with a human. And not just any human, oh no. He'd fallen in 'love' with the one human he wasn't supposed to touch. The one who had gradually come to trust in him completely, through the various actions and plays he'd put into motion, just to achieve his ultimate goal: satisfaction. Answers. Closure.

His adopted Sister.

That mission of his had changed, in all these years he had known her so far...or perhaps it was just him finally coming to and getting a clue. Sometimes, the strangest people miss the strangest things. Could that apply to his situation? The only thing he was certain of, was that at some point or another during this journey, the sense of 'closure' he had been seeking had turned into a beast of a different color altogether. It was still a journey, but not one that ended once he'd gotten together all the missing pieces from Kira's past.

Now, it would end...with the broken doll by his side, never to leave. He'd grown fond of her, more than fond. It wasn't just the answers he wanted anymore. It was her.

She had done this to him, caught him in such an impossible web to free oneself from. She hadn't even known what she was doing when she'd made it; she had the grace of a creative arachnid, but not the reasoning or steady hand. At least not when it came to her reactions and words. Her emotions. All those things, they had drawn him in, until all his feelings...Yazoo had wanted them to become her feelings, too.

He loved her, as much as someone like him was capable of. Simple as that. And he wouldn't let anyone or anything get in his way. As he'd continue putting the pieces in the frame, the picture would grow clearer. Along with that...so too, would her heart's desire.

Yazoo was going to do everything in his power, to make those 'dreams' into a reality, depraved as it may've seemed. Others would never be able to understand his reasoning, but that was fine with him; he wasn't attempting to please anyone, only himself. To have someone like her, always treating him with that same softness and reverence, that kindness that he'd never thought any other could've possibly bestowed on someone like him. Like Kyra, she hadn't done a single thing to try and change who he was.

And still...he'd wound up becoming a different man, in his own way, even without a solid shove on Kira's end. He never would've seen himself like this in his youth; he'd have simply dismissed it as nonsense, rattling off his detailed but clear reasons as to why he himself would never take up with any sort of human 'lover.'

Sephiroth and Kyra notwithstanding, he hadn't had any sort of interest in it. He'd known just how many admirers and eager faces were willing to throw themselves into his arms, or his Brothers arms. But he didn't want that. It had come across as trivial reasoning; if he was going to fuck someone eventually, if only for his enjoyment, then it was damn well going to be a person who actually had half a brain in their skull, and was interested in him for reasons besides the good looks, status or abilities.

He'd wanted someone who would see beyond all of that, see him right down to the foundation. But he'd had jack shit hope in ever getting that. So, he'd either had to lower his standards...or spend the rest of eternity going solo in the sexy times department.

Then, she'd come along. And with all that had gone on between them, every feeling and memory that had been created, fostered, nurtured, savored...this was the result. Without even expecting it, he'd found someone, a being who'd almost seemed to be made just for him. Him and him alone.

Kira was quirky and missing a few parts; most of the world would've treated her as 'defective' or 'useless'. She wasn't some startlingly gorgeous model type, no matter how they were able to dress her up for the camera. She would always have the occasional awkward moment, where she'd fumble for a word, or trip on a reply. She'd have to stay on those pills for the rest of her life too, most likely. And he'd still hadn't figured out just where those scars came from. There was so much to her that was as yet a mystery to him.

However...Yazoo didn't mind.

That feeling of possession, rising deep inside him. He didn't care what anyone else thought of her. They could go take a long walk off a short pier, as far as he was concerned. All that mattered was what he had come to know, to learn, to experience...and all while in the company of this backwards navigator. How long ago had he lost control of the map? This was deeply uncharted territory he'd found himself in. Though he wasn't alone.

There was no fear here. No resistance. No second-guessing. It had been all thanks to him that Kira had turned out how she was in the present day, a right sight better than her past self. Yazoo had been proud of those accomplishments, at first...then, he'd started becoming proud of her. She was his creation, a basket of nerves with lack of faith in herself. A negative outlook, fostered by her life at the hands of monsters in human form. Multiple scars, both physical and mental, that would never fully go away. However, they had lost their power just some...when _**he**_ had stepped into things.

Yazoo had never been one for sharing. This was no different. Kira was going to be his and his alone. He would take her heart, just as swiftly as she'd wound up stealing his own. His Jigsaw Girl, sending out a desperate SOS as she'd first arrived on their figurative doorstep, one that of all people, he had answered.

Him, the unknowingly lonely, adoring psychopath, who could've ended her in an instant, yet had chosen not to. Not out of pity, either. It was out of pure enchantment with her, that fascination that had become a twisted obsession. He wanted her, all of her, and he would get it no matter what it took. He had lured her this far into the darkness, and would soon have her so entangled that she wouldn't know which way was up, or down-but she'd be loving every minute of it. He guaranteed it.

And if she didn't...if she wouldn't give into him...if she never figured it out, never realized...or if she rejected him, pushing him away...if she took his heart without giving up something near and dear to her...

That low, ominous chuckling, that echoed softly through his room. Yazoo couldn't resist any longer-his hand had closed the distance, and was now wrapped around his lower appendage. It was just as stiff and ready as it had been when he'd first started this trip down memory lane. With a slow stroke upwards, he started his task of touch and surrender. He needed this. He needed some sort of escape to the tension.

And if he didn't do this now, he'd _never_ be able to sleep...or he'd wind up 'suffering' from taunting, erotic dreams, more than usual. Today's events really wouldn't help with that, either.

There had been a presentation today, at Kyra and Kira's learning institution. One part of their secret identities, since there was always going to be that odd moment where Shinra would have to make contact with them, was to have them listed as hired help. Maids, if you preferred, to the higher levels of the company-such as the First Class SOLDIERS quarters. Shinra head Rufus had come down as well, since he was the head of the business. There had been a good amount of surveying and floor walking, to make certain that no one would attempt to come after the top dog, Mr. President himself.

Of course, Yazoo knew all of this, in rather intimate detail, even as he hadn't attended a class in his life. Why? Well, he had his reasons...one of them being that the girls had needed 'suitable' attire, in order to convey the image that they were proper housekeepers. It was a last-minute detail that had nearly been overlooked in the sudden planning of this interaction.

They were going to send Sephiroth out to fetch it, for the reason of convenience and familiarity. He knew Kyra personally, and enough about Kira to be trusted. That, and he'd been the only one available on the floor, just fresh off a mission. Impulsive though it may've been, he was someone they could count on for such a task, no matter the ridiculous nature.

Too bad _some_ body else had gotten wind of their plans...and beat them to the punch of relaying the news. Another chuckle in the depths of his room. With a few _minor_ edits, of course. Sephiroth hadn't been alone in this endeavor. Unexpected company had decided to tag along-he'd had an appointment to skip, after all. Yazoo's eyes lit up with a devilish gleam at the recollection, as he gave another firm stroke.

His older Brother would've most likely picked out something sensible from one of the regular shops, something that wouldn't attract too much attention to his fiance-if he had known what it was for. Since she was going to be presenting to the class, which did have its share of impressionable horndogs, he wouldn't have given them the opportunity to cast such heated stares at his woman. Possessiveness ran in this family, that much was apparent.

But. Yazoo had never been one for 'sensible'. He much preferred getting some amusement out of things...

...which was why he'd convinced older Brother to follow him into, of all places, a sex shop. The male had been a bit wary upon entering-why the hell would Shinra want him, of all people, going out to buy lingerie for the two girls? Kyra maybe, but...what, had someone planned a questionable photo shoot? Did he need to get involved? This couldn't be right.

Just as he was about to question it, however, his younger Brother had played his trump card: flashing the maid costume in his direction, allowing him to bask in that thought: Kyra, wearing such an outfit. Even wearing such an outfit for him. For only _his_ viewing pleasure and enjoyment.

Soon enough, they were walking out of the shop with two costumes in tow, which had been promptly handed over to Rufus before he'd set out for the presentation. It wasn't until well after he'd arrived at the school, that he'd realized just what his younger Sisters were set to be wearing. My, that must've been a fun surprise, indeed! Oh, how Yazoo wished he'd been just a little earlier in his arrival, if only to see the look on that pretty-boy's face. It was such a thrill when a good plan fell together!

"Hah..." His hand was continuing its motions, and he could feel it, building on the tip as his arousal surged forth with every slow pull. The familiar sensation of pre-cum.

He'd eventually made his way to the classroom, where his Sisters and Rufus lay. He hadn't quite been expecting the reaction that would wash over him, as soon as he'd stepped through the door, catching the first glimpse of her...dressed like _that_...

Kyra was attractive in her gear, if a bit squeezed. Yazoo never allowed himself to get too close with his observations, though. He knew that Sephiroth would've had a few things to 'talk about', and no thank you, that was one discussion he'd like to avoid, please. It wasn't like he had a death wish, nor did he have the same sort of attachment.

So it had been far too easy to drag his eyes over to the figure beside her...looking for all the world like a character from some of those 'special' comics they'd gotten a peek at, while investigating on one of the unoccupied computers with net access. The ones spawned from that blasted country of Wutai, once again. He'd felt the tremor surge through him, though somehow, he managed not to let it show. But it had been one of the few times when he hadn't had a quick remark or reply on hand. Just for those fleeting seconds.

Beautiful. Kira was fucking beautiful. And far too tempting...

Yazoo was starting to pant, feeling his fingers sliding over the slightly shifting, smooth skin of his cock. He'd sauntered up to the front of the class, feeding his crafted reply to Rufus while ignoring the eager gazes of the present student body, their feverish whispers. So delusional. As if he had any time to spend concerning himself with their bleak little lives. They were bleak because none of these kids were being properly raised, to have a more open, acknowledging view of the world. They just lived in their own bubbles of fantasy among high society.

His hands had found Kira before either of them had had a chance to react. She'd let out a tiny squeak of surprise-fuck, those sounds! A throaty groan from Yazoo, as his actions were steadily growing faster. He'd spun her and dipped her, in front of everyone, and then...

The blurry vision. His head was being filled with the feeling of water, washing away everything and bringing in its wake...an overwhelming adrenaline rush. That euphoria, building ecstasy down to the soul, to the center of him. He remembered the creeps in the class, who hadn't been able to do much of anything once he'd gotten involved. The arrival of Genesis, the SOLDIER who had been assigned to look over this guarding mission, and one who just conveniently happened to be quite close to Kyra-since she was already associated heavily with Shinra, and now Sephiroth. That had helped some.

But the end of the presentation, when that blue-haired behemoth with the mask fragment-really now?-to the right side of his face had come up to Kira. Started conversing with her. Had been trying-and failing, for those with heightened senses-to hide his interest in her. All while she was wearing those clothes.

A flinch, as his face scrunched tightly in displeasure. He'd gotten her away from him, holding her close as he'd led her down the hall, to the bathrooms. Away from all those prying eyes, in the room and outside. She needed to go to the bathroom and change. Change from those clothes that fit her figure so well.

Those clothes he would've _**killed**_ for the chance to strip from her body.

It had been so teasing, that dirty little idea, as he'd kept up his cool outer layer, trying to drive those thoughts away. He was supposed to be guarding the rest rooms, just in case she needed his help...or someone had to pee and be redirected elsewhere. But they continued to lure him, those sheer devils slipping in and out of the holes in his brain, filling them with that want and desire. That need.

Would she ask for his help? Even if not...he could always go into the bathroom on his own volition. Find her there, in whatever state. And then...

Eventually, they'd moved on, everyone meeting together to head back to Shinra headquarters. It was the end of the day, after all. By this point, having realized that someone was playing hooky, Rufus had issued the request to Kira: to get Yazoo to his appointment without any fuss. He'd let slip that mention of how Yazoo seemed to listen to her more than anyone else. It had gone unnoticed verbally, but he could see it on her face, as she'd turned to look at him; it had had some sort of effect on her. Did it...mean something to her, to have this sway over him?

"Ngh...Kira..." Yazoo's vision was going foggier by the second, feeling his release drawing ever closer. Of course, he'd tried to convince her to let him off the hook...but it hadn't worked, even as it had provided a light flush to her features. His pout, a look that he had perfected all throughout his youth. Kira knew it well. Yet it had been completely countered, by her own kindness and tender inquiry. She had offered to go with him. _She_ had _offered_ to _go with him_.

The appointment. That damn doctor. Yazoo would not recall his name, not at this moment. He was zooming through the replay in his head, every image only serving to stoke the overload of testosterone and passion that had built up inside him. He had been assigned by the bastard mentioned before, to give a certain sort of 'lesson' to Kira dearest, a talk if you will...

...a sex talk.

His breathing was erratic by this point, his panting sometimes coming out in gasps. Low growls, groans. The feeling of so much heat and friction, even more than previously as he'd lain on his bed. It was scalding him, searing him from the inside out.

She hadn't known. She hadn't known about procreation, or babies. She'd known about periods and the basics of puberty, nothing further. Again, many thanks to the assholes who'd raised her in the first place. Shinra may've fucked with a lot of other people's lives, but certainly not to that level.

He'd been the one to explain it to her, in the best way he could...all while forcing himself to not just throw her back into the mattress, and showing her what went where. Taking her, just like he had so many times in his dreams. She had been wearing her school uniform, drinking that sweetly creamy and fizzy concoction he'd made for her, to draw her in further for the trap. It only served to bring him back to that first memory, deep within his mind.

"Kira...fuck..." Nothing else mattered anymore, in that moment. Not what had happened after the talk when a certain silver-haired pest wielding a double-bladed sword had come barging in, anyways. All he cared about, were the touches shared between him and his prey...his precious Kira.

He had kissed her. He had _**kissed**_ her. It was naught but the faintest of brushes, yet it had still hit him hard and fast, a zip of electricity shooting through him at the light contact. The testosterone had been the cause of all of this excess today, but even as he'd wanted to strike his younger Brother down for slapping him away...he wouldn't have changed that moment for anything.

Someday, someday...he'd be able to taste her fully. All of her. Would she be more to savor than the drink he'd mixed? She would no longer be allowed to hide anything from him. He and he alone would know her, down to her very core. Only he would be audience to her darkest secrets.

And she, his...

"Hah...ah! _Kira_ -!" Yazoo's body was tightening, writhing as the force of his climax shook him from top to bottom. He felt that surge, saw the blur of pleasure that marred his vision for those few moments during and following. Then, that instant feeling of full satisfaction and utterly anticipated breathless completion...

...just as a familiar, slightly warmed substance began dripping down, from the tip of his member to atop his hand.

But he did not let go, allowing his breathing to steady and the fluid to keep running down his fingers. The images were still in his head, although they were flickering, in and out of focus. He was waiting, waiting until he had finally collected his senses enough to clean up, much less let go. That one had really taken a lot out of him, and as soon as he was done washing, he'd probably be heading off to bed.

He had gotten what he'd ultimately wanted, in the long run. For now, only in his fantasies. That's how it seemed to be. For now...

Lifting his hand up to examine the results, Yazoo's gaze lingered on the slightly sticky and watery substance coating his digits. His 'feel-good juices', as he'd referred to them while explaining things to Kira earlier that day. Semen, if you wanted to be clinical; cum, if you wanted to be crude. As he brought his fingertips to his lips, to lap it all off...

...he saw her. Sitting before him. Looking up at him with those innocently wanting eyes...wanting for his approval. As she licked away his fluids from around her mouth, and upon those delicate fingers of hers.

His tongue halted then. Taking one last look at the substance, he finally let out a huff of irritated defeat, and went to go wash everything off in the shower.

Yazoo couldn't do it. Never could. He was always stopped by that arresting image now, reminding him of all the things he wanted to introduce her to...all the new experiences he wanted her to partake in. He would be her guide, through the warped and winding maze of everyday life, past trauma, and violent affection. He couldn't clean up his mess like that-not when he was so looking forward to the day that she would be doing it for him.

As he reached the bathroom, using his unstained hand to open the door, he got a look at his face, in the mirror. His long silver locks-longer than two of his Brothers, anyway-were hanging down straight, framing a sweaty, slightly flushed face. It was the most color he would ever see in his features, really, aside from his eyes. His lips were still slightly parted-a random halting breath would come up every so often, showing him just how taken he had been with his latest session.

Only during these moments. The moments he shared with his precious specter. She was the only one who got to see them with him. His Jigsaw Girl, that someday he would put back together completely...

...and then take apart, to get what he wanted. He would keep sifting through all the pieces, until he had every single one memorized and logged for his own. Not a scrap of her would escape him. He would never let her go. He would fill her with him, thoughts of him, feelings for him, lust for him. Then wait, and see, just how long it took for her to crack in a whole new way.

Oh, it sounded like so much fun. Really, it did. He'd never been in any sort of 'relationship' before, but he was certainly looking forward to the culmination of this one. When everything was said and done, he would be left with a veritable masterpiece, put together after all the painstaking work of channeling and contemplation, both in his head and his heart.

All that lovely, lovely blood. She was lying on his bed, a beautiful mess.

Shivering at his final fantasy, Yazoo stepped into the shower, ready to wash away all the stressors and stains of the day down the drain. And to return to dreams, for one more night...

...until the sun rose again, and he had another chance to be with his beloved, cracked porcelain and all.

 **A/N: And thus ends this sordid tale of forbidden feelings, and bitterly coming to terms w/one's humanity. Yes, the story is over. Hopefully, the ending was satisfactory. Yes, it was a bit graphic, but it was hinted at throughout the whole story. I'm just hoping it went off believably, or at least believably enough considering the character involved.  
**

 **With this story completed however, the tale is not yet over. There is one other who was also involved in this truly tumultuous day, and he...has his own feelings to share on the subject. Are they the same as the ones expressed here? Maybe yes, maybe no. I plan on starting posting for it next month, so hopefully, someone out there will look forward to it.**

 **As always, feedback is welcomed, encouraged and appreciated. Though this story didn't get much of it, I'm still grateful for what I have. And I'm always open to improving upon my work. I aim to entertain, after all. But growth is not possible w/out ups and downs. I'm open to constructive critique; all I ask is for it to be civil [i.e, nothing along the variety of "go kill yourself". That doesn't help anyone.]**

 **Thank you all for your support. Happy holidays to you and yours.**


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